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fur licking

B

buttercup

Member
:? Sam our tri-colour, has just begun to lick at his paws. His paws are getting very sore. Particularly his back ones. He doesn't lick anywhere else particularly.

As it's only a month since Arnold died, it has crossed my mind that it could be stress related. He's on his own now while I'm at work although the rest of the time he is with us constantly. We take him everywhere with us and he loves his trips in the car!

Has anyone any suggestions what this may be. He's had his frontline flea liquid so I can't imagine it's that. We haven't changed his food etc., or anything that he comes into contact with ie. washing powder etc.,

just a little puzzled really - to the extent that I got out one of my sons socks from when he was little, and put it on the foot that he licks the most - that didn't stay on long!!!! :D

Gaynor
 
I'd talk to your vet about this. Foot licking could be a huge range of things; could possibly be stress related but also allergy related to pain related.
 
Is he chewing as well or just licking? does he suddenly jump up and do it or is it at a slow grooming pace while he is washing everywhere else?

Alison,Wilts, U.K.
 
Thanks for your replies.

He suddenly jumps up and frantically nibbles at it. I've checked and there's no obvious sign of a skin problem.

I've managed to keep the sock on now with sellotape around the sock above his heel. He just licks that now and it's sodden so I don't think that's going to work.

I can feel a trip to the vet coming on :?

Gaynor
 
Gaynor, I'd get him to the Vet's sooner rather than later if I were you. It could be so many different things but he's obviously in discomfort if the sock is soaking wet :(
 
How is the little fella? Has he seen the Vet yet Gaynor?

I'm really sorry to hear you lost your litle Arnold too, I've only just noticed that in your post.

Skipping things whilst I'm reading is one of my worst faults - sorry :(
 
Gaynor,

Feet chewing, constant licking and frantic nibbles are also classic SM pointers....mention it to your vet please.

hope your visit goes well,

Alison, Wilts, U.K.
 
Hi All

When I took his sock off, even though it was soggy, his foot had gone into a scab (sorry), so although it irritated him, he didn't appear quite so bothered by it. So maybe the sock worked in the sense that it gave the sore bit time to heal enough to form a skin. So it looks loads better since the weekend. We are due to go for his annual injection so I will mention it to the vet while I'm there.

thanks for your help and support - he was driving us mad with his constant licking and he was making his foot really sore!

So if you have kids, hang on to their toddler socks - they may come in very handy :p

thanks again

Gaynor
 
We have the same problem with our Rusty. On Friday afternoon we noticed he kept on licking the top of his back left paw. It was all red and disgusting and his mouth was getting red too. On Saturday, we tried covering the paw with a baby sock and taping it to stay on. He licked that until it was completed soaked and we had to throw it out. We took him to the Vet on Sunday AM who said it was allergies. Gave him some antibiotics and told us to keep covering it. We bought little booties at PetCo but he rips them off.

Does anyone have any good ideas on how to cover his paw so that he is not uncomfortable or hot, protects the wound so he can't lick it, and is not able to pull it off? Thanks.
 
I was @ a friend's house this weekend who had a cavalier that had just tried on something called muttlukks for the first time. They are quite expensive, but they can aslo be used in the salt and snow. Anyways this little guy tried his hardest but he wasn't able to get them off. ;) You should check them out. :) good luck! :)
 
Thanks for the tip. The product you are referring to can be found here: http://www.muttluks.com/

The ones I bought at Petco are similar. Maybe I just need a bigger size. But I don't feel comfortable leaving them on the whole day. They must get hot.
 
On a related note, what else have people used to stop licking of the paws? We tried socks and booties which make him hot and he always tries to chew, lick and take off. I have tried two different types of medical collars: an e-collar and and pro-collar (inflatable). In both cases, in two different sizes, he can still get his back paw in his mouth. How else can I stop this? It won't get better if he keeps on licking it and we can't watch him every second. Thanks.
 
Thanks. I will try self-sticking gauze. They have it at CVS too. The cause has been confirmed as allergies and he is on meds. The vet said to keep on "doing what we are doing". But Rusty doesn't seem to appreciate it when it is covered and we can't watch him and go "no-no" all the time.

Even though he can still lick his paw with the e-collar on, he doesn't. He seems extremely depressed with it on. He won't move, walk and can't handle the stairs. It is so sad I can't bear to leave it on.

I will try a baby sock again, but he licks the outside which makes it smell aweful. I don't know how to keep the wound "breathing" and get him to stop licking so it has time to heal and before the meds kick in.
 
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