Dog Chewing Back Paw - Looking for Suggestions

[Mean Daddy]

My yellow lab has been obsessive about chewing the top portion of his back, right paw. The only thing working is a cone with a 3" extension but he keeps plowing into things.

We've tried bandaging, salmon oil on his food, probiotics, topical creams, wipes etc. but nothing outside of the cone is working on keeping him from getting at his back foot.

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TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Pets/Animals
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[Mean Daddy]

I know that there has to be others who have run into this issue. If so, what worked for you? Thank you.

[srmanuel]

Just a suggestion, do you think your dog is allergic to something you are giving him, which is causing the paw chewing.

Talk to your vet to see, at this point it wouldn’t hurt.

[spacejunkie2001]

and there’s nothing there that he’s licking? if not, it’s often boredom. give him a kong with peanut butter or play fetch for a good 15-30 minutes

[DugwayDuke]

This can have many causes. Please consult with your vet.

[GMThrust]

This is one of the biggest things people don’t see. Boredom. This is compulsive behavior (if food is ruled out). I bet that when the dog goes for the foot, he gets attention (interaction with his human-which is what dogs need). Exercise, exercise-both physically and mentally.

[4Runner]

Does he get a good long walk every day? Like for an hour? Our two Coonhounds go nuts and engage in all sorts of bizarre behvior if they don’t get their daily walk.

[dragnet2]

Don’t go to the vet over this issue. You’ll get looted. Trust me. Use AI, it’ll check every resource on the planet and you can trust the information is not coming from some hungover biased commie down the street.

[Wilderness Conservative]

Labs are known to be allergic to anything with feathers and often beef. I switched over to fish and my Lab improved 100%. I mix 1 cup of Fromm dry kibble with 1 cup of a salmon, rice, carrot, green bean mix. The original breed ate a lot of fish. They were used by fisherman.

[rod5591]

Perhaps he has a thorn in his paw. Have you taken him to the vet?

[DugwayDuke]

I’m not OP.

[lastchance]

That behavior no matter the cause releases endorphins. So at some point it no longer is about what first triggered the chewing but about the endorphins being released. This happens even if the chewing is making things worse.

Finding something else for the dog to chew is probably the simplest solution. Which means making it so the dog can’t worry at its paw. Look for a medical boot designed to keep the dog from licking or chewing his paw. Then find a variety of chew toys for the dog.

[CivilWarBrewing]

He could be trying to trim his nails. My dog does this.

Also, do pinpoint squeezing around paw area and see if he reacts to pain from a burr or tiny sliver..

Many dogs do this, just as birds will pull their chest feathers out. Neurotic behavior, OCD, whatever..

Good luck.

[ratzoe]

2 of our 4 boxers are allergic to chicken, removed chicken from their diet and they no longer chew their paws.

[Disambiguator]

Ask the Brighteon wellness coach:

https://brightu.ai/wellness

[jonatron]

Some people have used iodine to deter licking and chewing. It's also a good antiseptic, but be careful it doesn't stain your carpet.

Nonetheless, you still need to find the root of the problem. Good luck!

[vivenne]

It might be an allergy or irritant from something they are walking in like grass or fertilizer or carpet or carpet cleaner.

[waterhill]

Oily fish/ fish oil caps.

Take her duck hunting?

[waterhill]

Or just something in the paw.

[spacejunkie2001]

Good point. Bad attention is attention.

I look forward to the successful testimony on this one!

[chrisinoc]

Try raw ground meat as a principal source of protein.

Also, bovine colostrum as a supplement. It helps build up immune system.