we live very rurally and over the past 2 weeks when we come in from a walk in the fields my 14 month lab has been very aggressively cleaning her paws. I have noticed some hair loss on her knuckles. Particularly the back ones. Some reading has suggested it could be an allergy. Has anyone experience of this? Any ideas of a solution, could i get her an anti histermine or should i be washing her off when she has been in the fields? I haven't changed her food recently so i am pretty sure its not that. any help would be greatly appreciated.
Poor girl, it could be an allergy of some sort, washing her paws might help but a trip to the vet would be advisable. I've not experienced this but some members do so hopefully someone will offer some experienced advice. xx
My Vet suggested using human Piriton for springtime allergies , but I would definitely always ask the Vets advice first .
Someone just mention foot rot. Just to stress me out. But having a look at that I am not sure anyway as this has been happening for a couple of weeks and she's eating and wagging around as energetically as usual. It's not like lesions, in fact there is no redness or soreness at all just lots of cleaning and hair loss. I think a trip to the vet is in order isn't it.
It probably is, just to be on the safe side. My pup has allergies that effect her eyes and I wondered about giving her an antihistamine. I did some Googling and Benadryl was recommended for dogs but I still wouldn't like to try it without vet advice.
Poor girl. Something us obviously irritating her. I would go to the vet before her licking becomes a habit which could make it worse.
Do you know if any chemicals have been sprayed on the fields? I'd be rinsing her feet after every walk. And visiting the vet to be on the safe side and to find her relief.
Could well be a food allergy. You might try benadryl It works well for Tilly when she has itchy paws. You don't want to give it all the time, but it may help at night, and it also makes them sleepy. I would see the vet if it continues.
Thank you everyone. I had a real upset about it earlier but I'm feeling a bit better. I will take her along to the vet after the weekend I think just to get it checked out. We haven't sprayed the fields as we decided not to farm them but to reforest them, which is great for both children and dogs. My son has recently been very snotty and itchy eyed though if he has been out in them late afaternoon/early evening, which coincides with this foot issue with Luna. 2 of a kind.
It sounds like and allergy, particularly if your son has symptoms too, but take her to the vet to check and sort out the best treatment.
Update Update update. We went to the vets today and she said its a little difficult with skin stuff so it has to be a process of elimination. She said she had some nicks on her feet so it could be a simple as a little infection however.... So she gave me a flea mite and tick tablet incase its that. An antibiotic foot wash for her feet. A tablet for skin infections. I had switched her food flavour about 3 weeks ago to a lamb and rice rather than chicken and rice and she said it could be that as chicken or fish is less likely to induce a reaction (and actually I had been sensing that she wasn't that keen on the lamb anyway.) I had also changed my floor cleaner. So I switched back to basic Cif. So I have just given her the big fat tablet which she wolfed (phew) and served up the chicken and rice food and she dove straight in like I haven't seen her do for weeks. And I've scrubbed my floors. So watch this space. If its none of that its most likely a pollen thing.
