Help Needed! Help needed

[roanne9145]

I got this email from someone and don't know what to say....

I am writing with hopes of getting some help/advise from you. we have been trying to figure out what is going on with her . She is still constantly licking/chewing her paws. we had her tested to see if she has allergies and if so what to. the test showed she has no food allergies but is allergic to timothy grass. We have tried everything. she has been on allergy shots and those did not help. we tried the benadryl and that does not help. We tried cyclosporine given to her by the vet and that does not help. the only thing that gives her relief is prednisone and of course she can not stay on that as it is not good for them its only a temp fix. She seems to be very anxious and hyper plus she does always seem to need attention constantly. if we have been playing with her and then try to play with chance it seems that’s when she starts licking her feet or if you played with her and stop do do other things around the house she will start licking her feet as if she gets mad or jealous. she paces quite a bit and cant sit still. she is on a prescription food so she does not get stones again so that is really all she can have. I am now leaning twards her maybe needing to be on something to calm her. (instead of it being allergies). She gets walked and we throw the ball with her everyday and she runs and catches it so she is getting plenty of activity. My vet has run out of solutions and she is now telling us to take her to a dermatologist but I don’t think she needs to see one. as far as her skin goes, she has no skin problems. So I don’t know what to do from here. I want to help her but I am running out of ideas. please let me know if you can shed any light on this. I thought being you have more experience being a breeder and having so many dog’s you might know what to do next.

 

[elearn]

wow, she has no allergies except for grass and no skin problems. could it not be allergies, but maybe yeast? she didnt mention anything about cleaning, soaking, wiping down her feet. only the medications. are there sores, redness or just licking/chewing?

i'm guessing the rest is behavioral - when her mind is busy, she doesnt bother her feet. I have heard on here that dogs will like their palms to calm themselves. so she could be anxious about something.

i know others here will have some good advice though.

 

[BarkingStella]

If it is a nervous, behavioral issue, dogs have responded well with Prozac . You might ask your vet about it.

 

[RiiSi]

When did this paw licking start and what kind of stones she had?

 

[NigelsMom]

She needs a stuffie to suckle is she's anxious or an antler to chew!

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Timothy grass??? Isn't that hay? I would do new allergy screening and find a non prescription food. They are crap.

 

[Sherry]

Booty's...... apply a powder or topical cream and then the booties. If it is allergies, her feet won't touch the grass. Just a thought

 

[Taylor]

I think this is behavioral, maybe obsessive licking?

 

[kazzy220]

Yeah .. my instinct says that this is almost like a form of "separation anxiety" ............ I don't know too much about what food they need to have if they get stones so I think [MENTION=3354]RiiSi[/MENTION] should be able to help you more there. If she can avoid that grass and that's ALL she's allergic to then I just can't see it being allergies .........

 

[cali baker]

I'm leaning towards a psychological issue too. Like an obsessive compulsive behavior. Can they take her to see an animal behaviorist for an evaluation?

 

[roanne9145]

Thanks everyone I sent her this link in hopes she will join and check this post out...Her girls name is Safari and she got her from me so I feel really sad I can't help.
Roanne Here is a picture of her!

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

She's beautiful! Stress and pain can lead to this type of behavior. I sure hope she can figure it out.

 

[loveabully]

I would tell her to put apple cider vinegar in her water it keeps stones an yeast away an get her on a new food she's beautiful

 

[RiiSi]

[MENTION=460]roanne9145[/MENTION] her prescription food can be the source of itchy paws and then add OCD and you have compulsive licker. That is why I asked what kind of stones she had, there is almost always another and better way to feed.
[MENTION=5480]loveabully[/MENTION] apple cider vinegar is not the cure for all stones, it can really do damage if the stones she has are cystine or urate, that is why I asked what kind of stones she had.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

Timothy grass??? Isn't that hay? I would do new allergy screening and find a non prescription food. They are crap.

I agree. Try another food. If Timothy grass is the only thing she's allergic to and there isn't any in the house, why is the dog acting crazy like that? That "edgy" behavior is a clue to something else and if the writer has truly eliminated everything environmental possible, what else can it be but food?

RX foods are crapola. I'd also find another vet.