[goslow]

My maltese is a Cushings dog. Can't take steroids at all. He constantly licks his feet and pads until raw. Whines while he does it. I have put booties on him at times and he is very agitated with them on. (because he can't get to his feet!) Vet tried him on a drug but it made him too nauseated even when given with food. Poor baby! I heard that vinegar wiped on them would help kill any fungas there but it hasn't helped. I WOULD BE GRATEFULL FOR ANY ADVICE!!! HE IS IN MISERY. I also give him Benedryl twice a day. Makes him drowsey but helps stop the itch.

[Elsiebar]

Hi,

Our Border terrier westie cross suddenly started doing this at age 3. Our vet tried her on various drugs, before doing some tests. It turns out that she is allergic to grass and pollen. He said it can develop at any age even if the dog has been fine with grass before. She now takes a piriton each day and we walk her on pavements and keep her away from any triggers. She still has problems, but most of the time, she is OK.

It may be worth getting her tested.

[Todd]

I agree. Sounds like she has an allergy to some sort of surface she's walking on. I would def. get her tested with your vet. That's most likely the issue here. Once she gets a diagnosis then I would be happy to suggest treatment if you need some assistance. Do you notice any specific time when she licks are her paws or is it constant? If you have paid attention to this or will in the future this will help pin point certain potential allergy triggers.

The other strong possibility to this issue is a food allergy which is very common in dogs. What food are you currently feeding the dog? before going through allergy testing you may wish to try another food to see if that solves the problem. Depending on what exactly the food allergy is, I'd initially try a food called California Natural. This food is specifically designed for dogs with allergies because it had a concise list of ingredients and is very healthy too!

In the meantime you may want to try an anti-itch formula to easy the itching because this is probably why she's licking her paws until they're raw. Here are a few natural anti-itch remedies you can prepare right from home;

Combine 2-4 cups of water with 1 heaping teaspoon of dried sage, 1 heaping teaspoon of thyme and 1/2 teaspoon Epsom salts. Place mixture in medium-sized pot and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.

*witch hazel
*aloe vera gel
*tea tree oil
*lavendar (optional)
*and a 4-ounce spritzer bottle.

You can get all these ingredients at any drugstore.

Fill the spritzer bottle about half and half with the witch hazel and aloe vera gel. Add about 15 drops of tea tree oil. If you want to make it smell even better, add a few drops of lavendar. Shake it up. It will have the consistency of a thin lotion. Apply the lotion daily or as needed, and gently massage into the affected areas.

Oat is extremely effective in soothing a dog's itchy skin.
You can apply an oatmeal paste to the affected area(s). To make the oatmeal paste, cook the oatmeal in water until it is in a loose and wet paste form. Let it cool and apply it liberally to your dog.

Another herb that is a great itch relief for dogs is the dried herb of yellow dock. Add one tablespoon of the herb to 2 cups of boiling water. Let it sit and cool down. Strain off the herb and use the liquid as a rinse.

You can also make a simple green tea rinse to alleviate your dog's itching. Steep a couple of green tea bags in 2 cups of hot water. Discard the teabags. Let the tea cool down and pour it on your dog. Let it drip dry.

If your dog is itchy and her skin is reddened, make a rinse of chamomile tea or calendula tea. These herbs can quickly cool and soothe hot, irritated areas on the skin.

Alternatively, if you have a tincture of calendula, you can make a spritz by adding 10 to 15 drops of the tincture to about 4 oz. of distilled water in a spray bottle. Shake well and spray the affected areas as often as necessary.


The herb Plantain is also good for skin irritations such as itching and hot spots. Make a tea of plantain by adding 2 tablespoons of the dried herb to about one pint of boiling water. Let it steep, covered, for 15-20 minutes. Wait for the tea to cool down and strain it before applying it on your dog. To apply, just dip a piece of gauze or cloth into the tea and hold it to the affected areas for about 10 minutes.

Vitamins A, C, and E

These vitamins are also effective in helping to alleviate dog itching.
Vitamins A and C strengthen the immune system. Vitamin A can facilitate healing of sores, whereas Vitamin C may help relieve allergies. Vitamin C works with Vitamin E, enhancing the antioxidant effect in E, which is also anti-inflammatory.

Fatty acids (Omega-3s and Omega-6s) are beneficial to dogs with itchy skin. Omega-3s and Omega-6s are anti-inflammatory and can therefore help alleviate skin irritations such as itching. Fish oils, such as salmon oil, are rich sources of fatty acids. Other sources include flaxseed oil, borage oil, hempseed oil, and pumpkin seed.

You can either add the following recipe to 8 oz. (240 ml) of an all-natural shampoo to make a soothing shampoo or to 1/2 oz. of a base oil to make an oil blend for dog itchy skin. Use the oil blend topically on affected skin areas.

You need:
7 drops Lavender
3 drops Geranium
2 drops Chamomile, German
3 drops Carrot Seed

*If your dogs continues to lick at the paws consider getting some bitter apple spray as a last resort because the bad taste will stop the licking. Remember, these recipes are only temporary relief agents and you need to try a new food or allergy testing for foods and enviromental conditions to resolve the problem.

Good luck and I hope all goes well!

[goslow]

Thanks you so much. I will try several of these natural treatments. By the way, he has been on California Natural all of his life! With the Cushings, treatments are limited regardless of allergy testing. I do kinow that a lot of Maltese habitually lick their feet but his is not a featish!
I had 5 Bassets several years ago with serious skin problems. They were on Science Diet! I researched dog foods and decided to change to CN. In three months they were cured. i had spent mega bucks on vets, test, meds, etc and they were not getting better. Decided to do it myself. Good food makes good, healthy dogs. Not enough emphasis on nutrition and good food. Food allergies are so very common. Most people have no idea what they are feeding their animals.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by goslow

Thanks you so much. I will try several of these natural treatments. By the way, he has been on California Natural all of his life! With the Cushings, treatments are limited regardless of allergy testing. I do kinow that a lot of Maltese habitually lick their feet but his is not a featish!
I had 5 Bassets several years ago with serious skin problems. They were on Science Diet! I researched dog foods and decided to change to CN. In three months they were cured. i had spent mega bucks on vets, test, meds, etc and they were not getting better. Decided to do it myself. Good food makes good, healthy dogs. Not enough emphasis on nutrition and good food. Food allergies are so very common. Most people have no idea what they are feeding their animals.

I agree 100%! Glad you other dogs were cured.

About this one I'd just try some natural remedies but talk a lot to your vet about allergy testing. You could even keep a journal about how the dog reacts to walking in dif. areas and climates. This could help you discover his allergies yourself. For example, if he walks in the grass then has an issue but then walks on concrete and has no issue you may be inclined to think the grass may be a trigger. Main think is try to use the herbal stuff but remember they cover up the problem, not solve it. Try to solve it if you can.

Good luck!