Dog biting feet. HELP!!!!!

[MollyPop]

Ok, so here is a little background info on Molly. She has ALWAYS had skin issues ever since we rescued her when she was 5 months old (she's almost 3 years old now.) After clearing up her skin issues due to her having mange when we rescued her, everything seemed fine. Then once spring and fall rolled around, she started chewing the heck out of her feet. Took her to the vet, they gave her steroid spray and anti itch pills. It worked and everything was fine, until the steroid spray ran out. The medication we were given was expensive and we definitely couldn't afford to get it every month. So, the chewing began AGAIN. So we changed her food out to Blue Buffalo sweet potato and fish dog food. Her coat and everything immediately made a change for the better. Everything was fine. Her feet were awesome, her coat was awesome, everything. Well, about a year later, we moved from Georgia to Texas, and now her chewing has started up again. I've literally tried almost everything I can that isn't going to break our bank account.

I think it might be the grass here, because she was fine until spring time rolled around. Last time I took her to the vet for it, the vet said it was allergies to the grass. I'm just so frustrated with the situation. She's started chewing off the paw pads of her feet. First I tried putting just socks on her, and those would fall off. So then I bandaged her feet up, and she chewed through those during the night. So then I got her an e-collar for when we go to sleep, because she won't chew her feet while I'm in the room but once I leave the room she goes insane on her feet. Even when I walk around the room on the phone, when I walk back into the room she's in, she's chewing. So the e-collar was doing great. I'd take it off during the day and keep an eye on her, and when I went to bed I'd put it on. Well, she's managed to find away to chew her paws even with the e-collar on, I caught her today while I was on the phone this morning. *sigh* Someone mentioned bitter apple spray but I don't think that will help. It looks like I'm going to have to go with getting a muzzle for her at night until I can get her into the vets office, although I don't know if that would help? I've tried even cleaning her paws off with water after she comes in from going potty, and it doesn't help. I just don't know what to do. I've given her benadryl but I don't want her to be sleeping her life away and always being drowsy. Please help, any suggestions!!! I went to take her to get her toenails grinded down, and the ladies at the groomers looked at me like I was the worst pet owner ever and scolded me about her feet and told me she needs to see the vet. I've taken her to the vet and all they do is just give her the anti itch pills and spray. Am I just going to have to keep buying these expensive medications for her for months at a time??? I hate that she's itchy but I feel like its almost obsessive behavior now since she only chews when I'm not around. Before she started chewing with the e-collar on, her feet were healing amazingly, and the redness between her toes was almost gone. Sorry for the long post but I'm just exhausted on options here.

[AllisonPibbleLvr]

Allergies are very frustrating. Instead of the tablets your vet is giving, have you tried an over the counter antihistamine?

[mtlu]

Have they scraped her nails for a culture to see if it's yeast?

[MollyPop]

I've tried over the counter and the vet prescribed pills. And they have done scrapings, which is when I ended up with the steroid spray. But after the steroid spray, she went right back to licking. Last time she went to the vet, the vet wasn't concerned much and said it was just grass and that she doesn't need any kind of antibiotics or steroid spray. *sigh* I really think its the grass but I can't keep her from going outside you know?

[starrlamia]

Wash her feet everytime she comes inside, I recommend a mix of water and apple cider vinegar. When bries feet get bad I do a soak, I dunk her feet into the mix,.Pat dry to get drips then let them air dry.

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[MollyPop]

Wash her feet everytime she comes inside, I recommend a mix of water and apple cider vinegar. When bries feet get bad I do a soak, I dunk her feet into the mix,.Pat dry to get drips then let them air dry.

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2

Thank you, I will definitely try this. The pure water rinse doesn't work. I was also looking at soaking her feet in water with epsom salt. Does anyone think this will relieve the itching? Makes sense that it would.

[pblove]

Wash her feet everytime she comes inside, I recommend a mix of water and apple cider vinegar. When bries feet get bad I do a soak, I dunk her feet into the mix,.Pat dry to get drips then let them air dry.

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2

this method helps my allergy/yeast dog a lot in the summer months

[starrlamia]

Wash her feet everytime she comes inside, I recommend a mix of water and apple cider vinegar. When bries feet get bad I do a soak, I dunk her feet into the mix,.Pat dry to get drips then let them air dry.

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2

Thank you, I will definitely try this. The pure water rinse doesn't work. I was also looking at soaking her feet in water with epsom salt. Does anyone think this will relieve the itching? Makes sense that it would.

im not sure about epsom salts, could be worth a try! I like ACV the best, its pretty cheap and lasts a while and can be used for just about everything under the sun

[Mooresmajestic]

There is a dog I see walking by our training field all the time that wears booties all year round. We figured it wasn't for fashion because its all he "wears". Our curiosity got the better of us so we asked the owner about it, and she said its the only thing that protects his feet with his severe grass allergies. He wears them every single time he goes outside, or he chews his feet raw.

[Misskiwi67]

Wash her feet everytime she comes inside, I recommend a mix of water and apple cider vinegar. When bries feet get bad I do a soak, I dunk her feet into the mix,.Pat dry to get drips then let them air dry.

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2

Thank you, I will definitely try this. The pure water rinse doesn't work. I was also looking at soaking her feet in water with epsom salt. Does anyone think this will relieve the itching? Makes sense that it would.

Find a new vet that will diagnose and treat the secondary infections as well as the allergies. Allergies are frustrating and almost always require a multi-modal approach. It's not unusual for me to prescribe 3-5 medications in a single visit or for medications to be required for 6 weeks or more...

[MollyPop]

Thanks for the advice. I soaked her feet in the epsom salt yesterday for a bit, and it seemed to have REALLY helped. She didn't chew whatsoever and didn't even try and sneak it. She has a little cut that I've been trying to take care of from the chewing, and so far everything is doing much better. I just think ACV will hurt her feet if there is a raw patch on it, wouldn't you think? After her feet are healed I will try the ACV. So excited! And yes, I need to find a place that does fittings for doggy shoes. Since I'm currently in Texas right now, we haven't had rain for a while so our grass is getting really crunchy. I'm hoping the allergies will be gone now! Haha. Wishful thinking I suppose.