Problems with feet.

[JD102175]

Not Brodie's feet, I think he already has enough on his plate.LOL.

This is about Misha's feet, mainly her 2 front feet. She is constantly licking between the toes and has caused some sores. My mom has taken her to the vet and had cultures done. There is no infection. But she will NOT stop licking them and it is getting very hard for her to walk. Do any of you have any ideas as to something that can be put on her feet that will prevent her from licking them, but still allow the feet to heal. She will not wear booties, they end up getting ripped to shreds. The e-collar is not an option either because she will then just sit in the corner and whine, plus where she normally lays is behind a chair and she would not be able to get in and out from behind it. Any other ideas as to how to get her to stop licking her feet?


Thanks-

Jaime

[rott60827]

Has your vet ruled out allergies or thyroid problems?

[JD102175]

As far as I know they just checked to see if there was an infection. I will ask my mom tomorrow. Thanks.


Jaime

[Rott-Wiley]

I've known dogs that are bored doing this. In some cases they had to be put on mood elevating drugs. Maybe another vet could give you a second opinion.

[spidey]

Licking can also sometimes be caused by a loss of sensation on the skin (from nerve problems or something else). Bitter Apple or a similar product will break the habit, but you need to keep looking for a cause I think. It could be a habit, or it could be an allergy or something else. I'd get back to the vet.

[JD102175]

I think it has become a habit with her. She did at one point in her life have cysts removed from between a couple of her toes. Since than she has always licked off and on, but never to the point that she is at now.Bitter apple is not working. It's gotten to the point that she is leaving a trail of blood when she walks. So we are buying a basket muzzle that will prevent her from being able to lick her feet but will still allow her to pant. Hopefully after wearing that for awhile her toes will be allowed to heel, and if it is a habit maybe break her of it.


Jaime

[JoJo]

I was reading this today, maybe this is something to consider. I have no clue how reliable this is, for I no nothing about it to compare notes. But maybe someone on the forum can give their thoughts.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Summarized from a set of articles posted by Jim Jaskie,

Excessive licking:
Retrievers that lick their paws excessively, horses that "stump suck", Dobermans that "flank suck" share the same disorder. The disorder is generally mild and most people never notice it, but sometimes it can go too far and become a hindrance to normal functioning.
Dr. Judith Rapaport (head of the Child Psychiatry Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health and author of "The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Washing") explored this area thoroughly, because of similarities with a human malady called "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)." This is a disorder that induces unusual behavior such as an irresistible desire to wash your hands, over and over, even when they are not dirty.

The experiments at NIMH showed that this behavior is caused by a lack of Seratonin. This lack can be caused by a genetic predisposition and also by stress. Proper medication was shown to relieve similar problems in dogs, horses and people! Some of the reported results were on Labradors that literally licked the hair off of their paws, dropping the habit completely after medication.

This research is also a landmark in the understanding of the effect of some of the neural transmitters and has led to a whole new family of some wonderful new medicines. This work has already saved dogs, horses and people from one of nature's less pleasant maladies, and promises to shed light on other problems such as epilepsy.

The medication that Dr. Judith Rapoport found to work for dogs with acralick dermatitis as well as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is Clomipramine (brand name is Anafranil). However, Fluoxetine (brand name is Prozac) is now being used very successfully for OCD and has fewer side effects. You should discuss this with your vet, who will be able to prescribe these medications for your dog if it has OCD.


JoJo

[Rott-Wiley]

You may want to put some of that "liquid skin" on the open wound to keep the dirt out.

[JD102175]

I actually did think of the OCD angle. I'll mention it to my mom and also about the liquid skin.


Thanks-

Jaime

[Judi W]

If the only solution to having her leave them alone long enough to heal is a bucket or collar, I'd simply do it. Too bad if she can't get behind the chair. Better than ruining her feet.