Why is my dog looking patches of skin only on her paws? And how can I stop it or fix it? She does lick herself all the time
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Pets will lick for many reasons including anxiety, skin mites, pain in the joints, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or development of an lick granuloma. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. A physical exam may yield the diagnosis if it's pain or a lick granuloma. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the licking should stop. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Rosie wear an elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
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