Dog pad issues

[Mango20]

My dog is licking her paw pads to the point of injury. It started about a three weeks ago, and she ended up with pink spots on the pads of two feet. I gave her Benadryl and interruped the licking when I could. Once she healed up, I took her for a hike (Wednesday, two days ago). Her feet looked fine when we returned. Since then she’s been licking them and now the right one looks like this (you can also faintly see the pink spot between her middle toes from the last time):

Here is her left foot for reference:

She’s a GSD/Hound mix. This seems to be more of a seasonal issue. Benadryl doesn’t really seem to help. My dogs have their annual checkup in a few weeks, but any ideas in the meantime?

[MunchingonHay]

I am so sorry your puppers pads are bothering her.

Benadryl never worked for my pittie cross. He needed Zyrtec and has he aged he got Apoquel shots. (last 4 yrs of his life)

I also kept him on a very strict diet. He was allergic these proteins: chicken, lamb and venison, so I fed him; beef, buffalo, white fish, pork, shellfish. I also took him off grains. Does with outdoor allergies will often have food allergies as well.

I have lots of posts floating about about Hot and Cold diets for dogs. I have had much success with it and I know many other dogs owners that have had success.

Do a search for raw diets as well on here.

Talk to your vet about the Apoquel and other options.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

I would take the dog to the vet (I know, easy for me to type this when I’m not paying). But your dog may have a bacterial or fungal infection; the vet can determine what treatment is more appropriate.

[Lah0808]

My dog is 7 and has had allergies for years and is on apoquel year round. Sometimes it’ll get so bad this time of year that she’ll lick a pad raw. When that happens recovery usually involves a combination of a cone and I put a sock on the bad foot when I can’t watch her. They actually heal pretty quickly as long as I keep her from licking. Your dog probably needs something stronger than benadryl unfortunately, that worked for mine in the very beginning but we’re well past that now. Mine is allergic to the outdoors, grass especially.

[Mosey_2003]

You can give dogs Claritin or Zyrtec, I’d trial those next. Probably a seasonal allergy, our old Cocker mix had something like that every summer into fall. We did give him Apoquel initially and of course it works great, but managed to get ahead of it with Claritin in further years.