My dog has dark patches of fur on his feet?
It is really agitating because I am trying to get him to stop. I don’t know if it’s behavioral or allergies. He’s a 2 year old bichon mix. He is constantly biting his feet. He has no fleas. He is drinking mineral water, with a 10mg benadryl a day [the vet recommended]. He is on natural foods with no wheat or preservatives in it. He gets bathed about once a month with oatmeal dog shampoo. He is in good health really but he keeps biting his feet. I also got him some chew toys that he does chew on and he loves. He still does it though. Any suggestions? Any suggestions on how to lighten the patches of fur as well without using bleach for human hair? Thanks!
Tagged with: dark • Feet • Patches
Filed under: Flea Allergies In Dogs
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He either has environmental allergies like to grass which is very common for bichons or it might be now obsession where he can’t stop himself. You can’t bleach the hair – once they stop licking/chewing it will grow out while again. Stains in the hair can’t be removed like in clothes. You may need to do allergy patch test to see exactly what he is allergic to & get shots to stop it. Or vet may have to prescribe something to break his obsession. You would do better to stop using oatmeal shampoo & use an antibacterial on the feet instead. Oatmeal helps hold in moisture & the feet need to stay clean & dry. By licking he is already making them moist/damp & will get bacterial infections/yeast. Use a good hypo shampoo for body.
Hi… the question is a little confusing but I think I know what you mean.
It looks like you definately have a dog who has allergies, I know since one of my dogs has the same behavior. His paws are what are the biggest problem and it’s not just an issue during allergy seasons.
ALOT of dogs have “seasonal” allergies that then transfer as well into food allergies. I myself have the same problem and have been tested at an allergy center. Unfortunately it’s not as simple to detect through tests for our dogs. So if I go through your note, I’ll give advice from years of experience. Mineral or spring water is a good decision because of contaminants..no matter where you live, water quality is always an issue that comes up. Benadryl (one of only two kinds of anti-histamine meds that you can give to a dog) doesn’t always help. For some dogs it alleviates, for others it doesn’t work at all. If or when the allergies get worse, your vet will prescribe a steriod for dog allergies. Dosage is important to follow since they must be weaned off of this medications. Bad points are some side effects (increased urination, organ issues, etc…) good points is that when your pet is in trouble with his/her allergies, they really do help and improvements are seen after 24 hrs. What is recommended today is the following; increase of omega 3 which really helps with their coat , a diet based on elimination…the old lamb and rice theory used to be the norm but not anymore. The thinking is that the dog should eat one protein and one carb that they have never been exposed to (like lamb, duck salmon, with sweet potato, etc… A grain free food which is a great option (because there is no corn, wheat, soy culprits). I have just switched my dogs to a grain free diet. Dogs aren”t supposed to eat grains anyway.
As for the patched, I’m not sure if the original colour will come back, but that’s not a really really big issue is it ? What’s important is finding solutions that will bring relief to the dog with allergies. I’ve even seen mine start going into a depression because of his allergies and constant licking of the paws were driving him mad…
Daily exercise, staying indoors during worse pollen seasons, yes oatmeal base shampoo and conditioner (from the vet, not that department store junk), grain free food (if one really does research, lower priced ones/quality CAN be found), vet advice, pet owner advice and lots of TLC will help your dog…and you!
A really good site for advice on dog allergies and pretty much anything else (plus info for other pets) is the site : http://www.peteducation.com/
Just enter DOG ALLERGIES on the left where the search articles is.
So Good Luck, there is more and more info and options out there for the dogs who have allergies and their owners, you or your dog are definately not alone.