Mitzi chewes her paws - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Mitzis Mom · 04-27-2006, 05:08 PM

Has anybody experience with Yorkies chewing their paws? We can keep it down by cleaning the paws everyday, but I like to get rid of the problem. Our vet thinks it could be allergies and prescribed antihistamine. But it helps only a little. Could it be mites?

Mitzi has also a rush sometimes on her little butt. It comes and goes and I can't figure out what causes it. The rush was much worse as long as we lived in California. Now we live in Maryland and it seams to be better.

Passionfruition · 04-27-2006, 05:12 PM

My best guess would indeed be allergies and though an antihistamine would help (like half a small childs' dose of benedryl) - you may need to consider changing her food. Sometimes the corn content in the food makes them itch (from what I've heard.) I would monitor her closely and if you do decide to change her food, make sure to make it a gradual change, etc.

txshopper73 · 04-27-2006, 05:22 PM

Chester use to chew his paws constantly. Nothing was wrong with them, no infection, bugs, nothing. Vet said it was nerves.

DianaB · 04-27-2006, 10:26 PM

Reuger's been doing this too. I keep good dog food out for him but he sneaks outside and eats the outside dog's food. It's a cheaper brand and probably has corn in it. I'm in the process of making sure that he doesn't get anymore of it and I can already tell that he's doing better. He is still biting his paws but not with the intensity that he was just a few days ago. The vet told me that when they bite their paws it's a sign of aerosol irritants that they're allergic to, such as air freshener or something being sprayed but looking on YT it can also be caused by corn allergies.

Vikkie&Casper · 04-28-2006, 07:28 AM

Casper constantly bites his back paws- every day since I got him from the RSPCA (this was four months ago)- He stares at his paws waiting for them to move a little then goes for the kill- it's like he's play fighting with his paws- I took him to get his nails trimmed, nothing changed- I changed his diet to Nature diet- still the same- now I'm slowing changing his food to dry Eukanuba and see if there's any difference. We rarely use many aerosols, that it can't be that.

I read if you soak their paws in salty water every few hours it will kill any germs or whatever is on his paws- but if it carries on, I'm taking him to the vet- my friends all think Casper is loopy!!! lol

Poor Casper!

Vix xxx

Mitzis Mom · 04-28-2006, 07:58 AM

Thanks a lot all of you! It's good to know that we are not alone.

What we tried so far:

going to the vet - he prescribed antihistamine - did not work

another visit to the vet - change the diet to rice and lamb - did not work

home remedy - washing the paws everyday with Physoderm - works

home remedy - telling her to stop - works ...sometimes

home remedy - treating her paws with hydrogen peroxide - worked for a while

home remedy - put her shoes on - works of course, but I don't like her to wear them all the time

any other suggestions?

Thanks again!

Vikkie&Casper · 04-28-2006, 08:09 AM

A cone around your yorkie's head! lol j/kidding!

I like the boots idea.

Could it be just boredom? Like when a dog chases his tail? I have also thought this when Casper looks like he is play fighting with his feet. Eg, a sign of a dog chasing his tail is that he is not totally fulfilled- whether I believe it or not it a different matter!

Good luck anyway and I will let you know if I find any methods that work-

Another method on here recently when a similar post was mentioned- a lot of people suggested changing your kitchen floor cleaning product-

Vix xxx

KellyV · 04-28-2006, 08:10 AM

What do you use to clean your floors? Maybe a chemical in the cleaner irritates her paws...

It could just be a bad habit too. Pixie will lick and lick every night before bed until I tell her to stop. I don't even think she realizes she's doing it...

You could try spraying a bit of bitter apple on her feet. I'd think that would help deter it. But I'd only do that if it's a bad habit. I'd hate for it to aggravate whatever is irritating her paws to begin with.

I like the shoe idea. You could try using little baby socks too. That might work. But then you'd have to keep an eye on them to make sure her hair doesn't mat under there... and that she doesn't pull them off and run away with them! (My pup does that with my socks!

)

Mitzis Mom · 04-28-2006, 09:47 AM

Thanks, I'll change the floor cleaner! Any suggestions which one would be good? Or just water and vinegar? Maybe that helps.

About shoes: I posted it already that I cut the fingers off garden gloves (TM "Brahma" with little rubber dots all around) and fix them with elastic bands with velcro on the ends. That works very good and Mitzi won't walk without her "Nikes" anymore. By the way Mitzi is 9 years old and weighs 5 1/2 lbs.

hooliacasa · 04-28-2006, 12:27 PM

Hi Mitzismom-

My oldest boy Maxx has allergies and one of the symptoms was chewing on his paws constantly. What I did was change his food- I get him Natural Balance Duck and Potato which is an allergy formula. We started with benadryl and after a little while, it quit working on him and then we had prednisone and he ended up with a calcium stone from that and had to have surgery. The prednisone was from my former vet. My current vet which I just love, told me steroids (constant long term use of them) is not good for dogs - it causes brittle bones and turns them to sponge.

My vet gave me a human allergy prescription called hydroxcizine (spelled right?) Anyway we give it to him twice a day and he does not itch or scratch at all now. Poor Maxx is allergic to everything I think. My other two aren't and I'm thankful for that. But diet does play a very crucial role in those allergies. Don't just give him a pill, try the diet change too.

ddiedre · 04-29-2006, 06:33 AM

My female has occasionally chewed and licked her paws. I noticed that when she did this it was more of an allergy. I had them on Royal Canin, which has corn in it. Both of my dogs had problems with this food. She also did this when she had spent some time outdoors, I figured pesticides in the grass.

I gave her liquid benedryl/childrens and that seemed to help.

Another reason they do it is because their nails are too long. But I think allergies are your primary culprit here. Figuring out what the allergen is will be your toughest task.

Good Luck

04-27-2006, 05:08 PM	#1
Mitzis Mom Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pocomoke City Posts: 1,938	Mitzi chewes her paws Has anybody experience with Yorkies chewing their paws? We can keep it down by cleaning the paws everyday, but I like to get rid of the problem. Our vet thinks it could be allergies and prescribed antihistamine. But it helps only a little. Could it be mites? Mitzi has also a rush sometimes on her little butt. It comes and goes and I can't figure out what causes it. The rush was much worse as long as we lived in California. Now we live in Maryland and it seams to be better.

04-27-2006, 05:12 PM	#2
Passionfruition Proud of my Sully! Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: beautiful CHARLESTON, S.C. Posts: 5,419	My best guess would indeed be allergies and though an antihistamine would help (like half a small childs' dose of benedryl) - you may need to consider changing her food. Sometimes the corn content in the food makes them itch (from what I've heard.) I would monitor her closely and if you do decide to change her food, make sure to make it a gradual change, etc. __________________ - - - - - - - - - - - - Sully's lastest beach pictures!

04-27-2006, 05:22 PM	#3
txshopper73 Donating YT 14K Club Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Victoria, Texas Posts: 14,178 Blog Entries: 1	Chester use to chew his paws constantly. Nothing was wrong with them, no infection, bugs, nothing. Vet said it was nerves. __________________ As always...JMO (Just My Opinion) Kimberley Gracie, London and Dallas

04-27-2006, 10:26 PM	#4
DianaB Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Fredonia, KS Posts: 737	Reuger's been doing this too. I keep good dog food out for him but he sneaks outside and eats the outside dog's food. It's a cheaper brand and probably has corn in it. I'm in the process of making sure that he doesn't get anymore of it and I can already tell that he's doing better. He is still biting his paws but not with the intensity that he was just a few days ago. The vet told me that when they bite their paws it's a sign of aerosol irritants that they're allergic to, such as air freshener or something being sprayed but looking on YT it can also be caused by corn allergies. __________________ Diana and Reuger Take time to laugh. It is the music of the soul.

04-28-2006, 08:10 AM	#8
KellyV YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 750	What do you use to clean your floors? Maybe a chemical in the cleaner irritates her paws... It could just be a bad habit too. Pixie will lick and lick every night before bed until I tell her to stop. I don't even think she realizes she's doing it... You could try spraying a bit of bitter apple on her feet. I'd think that would help deter it. But I'd only do that if it's a bad habit. I'd hate for it to aggravate whatever is irritating her paws to begin with. I like the shoe idea. You could try using little baby socks too. That might work. But then you'd have to keep an eye on them to make sure her hair doesn't mat under there... and that she doesn't pull them off and run away with them! (My pup does that with my socks! ) __________________ RIP Pixie. We miss you! Come Visit Pixie, Charlie and Lilly

04-28-2006, 07:28 AM	#5
Vikkie&Casper Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England Posts: 11	Casper constantly bites his back paws- every day since I got him from the RSPCA (this was four months ago)- He stares at his paws waiting for them to move a little then goes for the kill- it's like he's play fighting with his paws- I took him to get his nails trimmed, nothing changed- I changed his diet to Nature diet- still the same- now I'm slowing changing his food to dry Eukanuba and see if there's any difference. We rarely use many aerosols, that it can't be that. I read if you soak their paws in salty water every few hours it will kill any germs or whatever is on his paws- but if it carries on, I'm taking him to the vet- my friends all think Casper is loopy!!! lol Poor Casper! Vix xxx

04-28-2006, 07:58 AM	#6
Mitzis Mom Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pocomoke City Posts: 1,938	Thanks a lot all of you! It's good to know that we are not alone. What we tried so far: going to the vet - he prescribed antihistamine - did not work another visit to the vet - change the diet to rice and lamb - did not work home remedy - washing the paws everyday with Physoderm - works home remedy - telling her to stop - works ...sometimes home remedy - treating her paws with hydrogen peroxide - worked for a while home remedy - put her shoes on - works of course, but I don't like her to wear them all the time any other suggestions? Thanks again!

04-28-2006, 08:09 AM	#7
Vikkie&Casper Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England Posts: 11	A cone around your yorkie's head! lol j/kidding! I like the boots idea. Could it be just boredom? Like when a dog chases his tail? I have also thought this when Casper looks like he is play fighting with his feet. Eg, a sign of a dog chasing his tail is that he is not totally fulfilled- whether I believe it or not it a different matter! Good luck anyway and I will let you know if I find any methods that work- Another method on here recently when a similar post was mentioned- a lot of people suggested changing your kitchen floor cleaning product- Vix xxx

04-28-2006, 09:47 AM	#9
Mitzis Mom Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pocomoke City Posts: 1,938	Thanks, I'll change the floor cleaner! Any suggestions which one would be good? Or just water and vinegar? Maybe that helps. About shoes: I posted it already that I cut the fingers off garden gloves (TM "Brahma" with little rubber dots all around) and fix them with elastic bands with velcro on the ends. That works very good and Mitzi won't walk without her "Nikes" anymore. By the way Mitzi is 9 years old and weighs 5 1/2 lbs.

04-28-2006, 12:27 PM	#10
hooliacasa Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 195	Hi Mitzismom- My oldest boy Maxx has allergies and one of the symptoms was chewing on his paws constantly. What I did was change his food- I get him Natural Balance Duck and Potato which is an allergy formula. We started with benadryl and after a little while, it quit working on him and then we had prednisone and he ended up with a calcium stone from that and had to have surgery. The prednisone was from my former vet. My current vet which I just love, told me steroids (constant long term use of them) is not good for dogs - it causes brittle bones and turns them to sponge. My vet gave me a human allergy prescription called hydroxcizine (spelled right?) Anyway we give it to him twice a day and he does not itch or scratch at all now. Poor Maxx is allergic to everything I think. My other two aren't and I'm thankful for that. But diet does play a very crucial role in those allergies. Don't just give him a pill, try the diet change too.

04-29-2006, 06:33 AM	#11
ddiedre Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 67	My female has occasionally chewed and licked her paws. I noticed that when she did this it was more of an allergy. I had them on Royal Canin, which has corn in it. Both of my dogs had problems with this food. She also did this when she had spent some time outdoors, I figured pesticides in the grass. I gave her liquid benedryl/childrens and that seemed to help. Another reason they do it is because their nails are too long. But I think allergies are your primary culprit here. Figuring out what the allergen is will be your toughest task. Good Luck __________________ Dawn Joy Jig