# Dog chewing on feet??? :( worried!



## aussieparent (Mar 29, 2013)

Hi, I'm new here and I'm almost at my wits' end...

I have a Mini Brindle Australian Shepherd who chews on his paws. He's been doing this for about a week or two, but I have no clue why. I did research and a few said it may be his diet or something in the yard bothering his paws...which doesn't make sense, because he has not had anything changed in his life in that regard, I don't think. He has the same food as he has always had since he was a puppy (he's about two years old and never done this before until recently), and though we've moved to a new house and yard, I also have three other dogs and none of them are biting/behaving oddly? We've been here for about two months now, and he was fine until recently. Plus, he just went to the vet for a checkup (literally a week ago) and they found nothing wrong  

Some say it may be boredom, but I don't see how...? I take him out to the barn with me (along with my other three dogs), and as I horseback ride, they run after me so by the time he gets home he's happy and stated - this happens usually around six-ish when I head out for training. He goes outside three times a day, for at least 35 minutes so they can also run around and get their energy out, and I take them all for walks at LEAST once every couple days (depending on my schedule, but I love walking them because I find it relaxing.) Plus, they have plenty of toys - playing tug-a-war, tackling each other in the house, etc (I only allow that in "their" bedroom, which is the extra room in my house.)

I've had dogs for years, and it's odd to think that this is the first time I have ever had a dog that randomly began chewing on their feet for seemingly no reason. I haven't changed his diet, nothing has been sprayed in the yard, and I try to give them/him plenty of mental and physical stimulation. My vet could find nothing wrong, and he also seemed puzzled, though he said he would try to figure it out. My vet and I are close, so he said he would call me if he finds something, but I hate sitting and just watching my dog chewing on his feet. I've looked between his paws' hair and found nothing odd there, and I don't know if he's just chewing to chew, or if it's irritated, like something is in there - he doesn't seem to be doing it to the point of irritation/bleeding, but I wanted to see if I can figure this out before he does 

Sorry for the long post...I'm getting so frustrated and emotional about this ugh! Anyone have any ideas?


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## WonderBreadDots (Jun 26, 2012)

I have never had this problem but my neighbor's dog did. It was allergies, specifically tree and flower pollen. Their dog would chew her feet in the spring and fall. The dog took medication, would have limited time outside, but also had to wear a cone until the allergies were under control or she would chew her paws bloody. Good luck.


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

It could be environmental allergies, food insensitivities, or a yeast infection on the paws.

What do his paws smell like? I know that sound slike a crazy question, but if they smell like fritos it's probably a yeast infection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDD9K_Ng-yw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl_X1I1GJ1Q


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Allergies are the most likely thing if you can't see any visible injury (like a healing scratch that itches). Allergies can develop and in a new house and new yard, he might be getting exposed to spring time plants that he hasn't been before or simply becomming allergic to any other plant or pollen he is encountering at the barn or elsewhere.

Could he be snacking on the horse's feed or treats? The grains (corn etc) in horse feed are all common allergens for dogs.

Ask the vet about the correct dosage of benedryl and maybe try a week or so of benedryl. You can also wash off his paws with apple cider vinegar and water mix.


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## aussieparent (Mar 29, 2013)

WonderBreadDots said:


> I have never had this problem but my neighbor's dog did. It was allergies, specifically tree and flower pollen. Their dog would chew her feet in the spring and fall. The dog took medication, would have limited time outside, but also had to wear a cone until the allergies were under control or she would chew her paws bloody. Good luck.


Perhaps that is what we may have to do...the cone idea, but I have no idea of how well he would take to it because he's never had to have a cone before. Even if he does well, I have a feeling the other dogs would just see it as another toy, haha  And I would hate to have to separate him from his "pack" because of this. I'll look into the medication option though; I'm just plain worried, mostly, so anything that may help is an idea I embrace! Like right now, he isn't doing it - I can't even figure out some kind of routine or schedule to when he does. It varies throughout the day, but it's driving me (and probably him) bonkers!




taquitos said:


> It could be environmental allergies, food insensitivities, or a yeast infection on the paws.
> 
> What do his paws smell like? I know that sound slike a crazy question, but if they smell like fritos it's probably a yeast infection.
> 
> ...


I looked into those videos, and I'll try the foot soaking. As for his feet (yes, I did feel funny kneeling on the ground so I can sniff his paws while he sleeps haha!) smell like...dirt? Outside-ish, if that's possible LOL He has a bit of dirt in-between the hair, but nothing red or anything like that which may incline a sore or anything. He also hasn't chewed them today at all so far, but then again it's only 9:00 and he's tired from our morning run.




Shell said:


> Allergies are the most likely thing if you can't see any visible injury (like a healing scratch that itches). Allergies can develop and in a new house and new yard, he might be getting exposed to spring time plants that he hasn't been before or simply becomming allergic to any other plant or pollen he is encountering at the barn or elsewhere.
> 
> Could he be snacking on the horse's feed or treats? The grains (corn etc) in horse feed are all common allergens for dogs.
> 
> Ask the vet about the correct dosage of benedryl and maybe try a week or so of benedryl. You can also wash off his paws with apple cider vinegar and water mix.


Hmm, perhaps it's something new in the yard - I hadn't even thought of that. With four dogs, I've gotten into the habit of checking around the fence often and in the yard, and also looking up plants in case something were to happen (i.e. them eating it, and I need to figure out fast which one), and I didn't notice any odd flowers popping up. It's literally just grass out there for the moment, but it is spring, like you said, so there may be SOMETHING out there I haven't seen before. Ugh, and I hate that it may not even be fully up yet so I can't track it down! This may be a stupid question, but would perhaps mowing the grass again help? Or anything dog-safe I can spray? 

As for the horse feed, I don't think so. I have four horses, and they get free-choice hay in the barn where they can go in and out, but they only have grain and feed in their stalls specific to the horse, and the stalls are always closed when they are not in them, and you know, when we stall them...well, they're closed then too or else that'd defeat the purpose haha. The barn area where I keep the food is locked up tight (I have a gelding who's a bit of a trickster, so I HAVE to lock up tight lol) and I don't see how Jay (the aussie) could get inside it at all? Thank you, though, for the idea of benedryl. I'll try washing his paws with the apple cider vinegar and water as well, after soaking them. Perhaps that'll make him feel better.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Mowing might help, short grass also reduces fleas and other bugs in the yard so I doubt it would hurt anything.

Icky but, lots of dogs eat horse manure so if he's doing that, he's still eating the horse feed in a roundabout way...

If his paws aren't noticeably red though, he might just be chewing to chew. Is he biting his nails? One of my friend's dogs trims her own nails basically by chewing on them but she never chews them too much so my friend just lets her do it.


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## aussieparent (Mar 29, 2013)

Shell said:


> Mowing might help, short grass also reduces fleas and other bugs in the yard so I doubt it would hurt anything.
> 
> Icky but, lots of dogs eat horse manure so if he's doing that, he's still eating the horse feed in a roundabout way...
> 
> If his paws aren't noticeably red though, he might just be chewing to chew. Is he biting his nails? One of my friend's dogs trims her own nails basically by chewing on them but she never chews them too much so my friend just lets her do it.


I'll mow this weekend, then  Usually I mow every two weeks or so (laziness, if I'm honest) but maybe more frequent mowing will help. Thank God I have no flea problems though - I give them a pill from my vet, Comfortis.

Oh, yeah...he hasn't tried eating the poop so far. Could it be a health issue if he does start eating horse manure? I know sometimes dog eat their own if they're trying to get more protein or something like that, so is it the same with horse manure? 

But you know what, maybe that's the sound I was hearing! Him chewing the nails...that sounds about right, so maybe that's also why we can't find anything wrong with his paws. I know it was something he was biting at, but I thought it was the pad (and panicked, admittedly - it really scared me), but if it's the nail, I feel slightly better. Gah, this dog has always been so weird! There isn't anything wrong with nail-biting, is there? Unless it's a nervousness thing, like with people...hmm. Usually when he starts biting, I immediately try to see what's wrong and when he sees me coming, he stops and wags his tail, so I couldn't ever see what he was biting there - pad or nail.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

My vet says that as long as the horses are healthy and de-wormed that there isn't really any concerns about the dogs eating manure. Most heartworm meds cover several types of intestinal parasites also so that should also help prevent any problems. She said that it seems to be really tasty to many dogs since horse feed commonly uses molasses and corn and other things the dogs like. 

I wouldn't stress about nail biting unless he either hurts his feet (biting to the quick or ripping at the nails) or starts obsessing about it. If his nails are clicking on hard floors or concrete, he probably needs a nail trimming.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

WonderBreadDots said:


> I have never had this problem but my neighbor's dog did. It was allergies, specifically tree and flower pollen. Their dog would chew her feet in the spring and fall. The dog took medication, would have limited time outside, but also had to wear a cone until the allergies were under control or she would chew her paws bloody. Good luck.


Our first two dogs (mutt form the pound, a Boxer) in a row had allergies and BAD by the time we got to the Boxer we knew to get him tested and kept him indoors when certain pollens counts were high that day (ex trees vs grasses) and who knew-- but he was allergic to all poultry, and lamb (one of the reasons I DONT favor constantly rotating foods around, espec kibble) so we fed him beef then bison diet, and got rid of our wool rugs-- 
it sounds more like seasonal allergies in your dogs case though-- 
BTW yes our dogs would lick and suck and worry on their feet for ours-- the first dogs feet would swell up and she would go in for a shot of cortisone, but steriods have side effects (she died pretty young after years of meds and treatments), which is why we chose with our Boxer to get him tested and manage his specific allergens-- he had very minimal meds and made it to age 11 good for a Boxer...


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

My dog tends to chew his feet if he got them wet outside. Like somehow licking them is going to dry them off, I don't know... but I notice him doing it a lot when he comes in when it's been raining or there's snow on the ground, or the yard is squishy - less so when it's dry.


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