LICKING & CHEWING PAWS

"ooh need to lick"

Dog  Licking & Chewing Paws

Can be an incredible and complicated issue that

affect many dogs and their owners.  There are a 

wide range of resources about this subject, and I 

will research and attempt to convey an understanding for all of us.  Of course, as we all know, what works for one dogs doesn't work for 

another.  We must be sure whatever resolve is 

attempted to help our dog, it will be safe, healthy and ultimately happy for your dog!

Licking and chewing paws may work the same way it does when we "scratch ourselves."

Why do we scratch?  It feels good!  Why?  Because it causes the body to release natural painkillers made by the brain.  These are called endorphins released and relaxes our dog, when he licks and chews his paw, leg, etc.    Sadly even when infection develops, this happens.  The infection will appear red, and eventually the skin 

become thick and raised

Licking usually is on the lower leg as it is easy for your dog to reach.  Study show, it is common in less active dogs.  Then again, there are some 
dog breeds that have been considered to have this licking and chewing issues.  So the key is to offer your dog mental stimulation, before "licking and chewing" of the paw become infected.

Umoof, I'm tired of licking!

BREEDS TYPICAL LICKERS ARE:
Labrador Retrievers
Jack Russell Terriers
Shih-Tzus
Pugs
Chow Chow
Doberman
Golden Retrievers
1. Trim fur around licking infected area, using
    blunt scissors, or electric shaver.
2. Soak and clean with antiseptic liquid soap,
    such as Betadine Skin Cleanser.
3. Rinse well, using cool water.
4. Pat dry gently.
5. Apply a cortisone cream, such as Cortaid
    three times a day.
6. Use antihistamine, such as Benadryl hopefully
    to subside itching.  May make your dog sleepy
    which can be good to keep dog from licking.
    1 milligram per pound of body weight
    every 6-8 hours.
                                    or
10 pound dog should receive 3/4 teaspoon liquid 
or 1/2 a pill.
If your dog has urination difficulties, STOP the Benadryl.  To avoid further infection due to licking, there are ways to keep your dog from licking:
1.  Elizabethan Collar restraint
2.  Cloth Wrap (clean,soft and breathable)
3.  Cotton  sock taped with adhesive tape.
FOLLOW-UP CARE:   Should home first-aid offer comfort and healing, on the licking infected area, than success!  If it does not comfort or heal then get Veterinarian help immediately!     



This sloppy licking may
also interpret how much the dogs "love you!"

DIARRHEA

"...poor baby has diarrhea..."

"Garbage-gut syndrome," when a dog eats what he should not!   Or, abnormally loose bowel movements, diarrhea,  can be a concern!
One of the serious observations would be dehydration, the loss of water from the body.
Do take caution however, if your dog has watery
diarrhea often and is not eating or drinking, then your Veterinarian should receive a visit.
What to do immediately:
         1.  Stop feeding for 12 to 24 hours, to rest
              the gut and allow the inflammation
              time to heal.
         2.  If your dog is very complacent, or weak
              during a fast, rub a sugar solution like
              honey on the gums and take to 
             Veterinarian right away.
          3. Keep water available always so dog
             does not become dehydrated.
          4. Often, a watery stool releases important
              minerals from the body.  What to do?
                         a.  Rehydrate.
                         b.  Gatorade - mix it 50/50 with
                              plain water and put into dog's
                              water bowl.
                         c.   Pedialyte, and Ritrol another
                               rehydration fluid, can be
                               given diluted 50/50 with 
                               water.

"...uffghh we all came from the same human  food fest..."

SEE VETERINARIAN, IF DIARRHEA IS:
              1.  Black stool with tar-like consistency.
              2.  Extremely foul smell.
              3.  Containing large amounts of blood.
              4.  Accompanied by vomiting.
              5.  Giving severe pain.
              6.  Causing fever.
              7.  Causing loss of appetite.
              8.  Causing your dog to be lethargic.
              9.  Persists longer than 3-days with no
                   improvement.
FOLLOW-UP CARE:
1.  Serve small amount of bland food.
     Cook plain white rice, or macaroni until very
    soft.  Mix with boiled skinless boneless
    chicken breast.
    Offer this bland rice mixture in small but
    frequent meals (3 or 4 each day)
    When diarrhea is gone, increase  each meal
    quantity, and decrease the meal frequency
    for 1-2 each day.
    Then, gradually begin mixing your dog's 
    regular dry meal in with the bland rice 
    mixture:
                         a.  30% regular dog meal
                         b.  70% bland rice mixture.
    Each day increase the amount of regular dog  
    meal while reducing the amount of bland diet
    mixture until your dog should be back on
    regular meals as before.
 2.  If your dog is not allergic to milk products,
      yogurt has "good" bacteria that help to re- 
      balance the intestinal upset that caused the
      diarrhea.
   If your dog has lactose   intolerance   do NOT
   give  milk products.

"...please keep my water supply ready for me anywhere...!"

"...my food should be good for my stomach, liver, intestines, and other parts of my body...thank you!"

VOMITING

Vomiting should never
be considered normal, but it's probably not a cause for concern if it happens only once, and the dog feels fine.

Anytime a dog vomits three or more times in a single day, or two or more days in a row, there is cause for concern.  Continuous vomiting is an emergency.  

Many illnesses can  prompt repeated vomiting, which leave the dog dehydrated and ill.

Use First Aid to calm your dog's stomach until you can get help works well.

What to do immediately:

1.  Remove the feeding dish.

     It's best to restrict food and give your dog's 

     stomach a rest for 12 to 24 hours.

2.  Give water sparingly.

     Vomiting will make your dog thirsty.

     But, drinking a lot of water will  only

     make the stomach more upset, and the water

     will come right back up.  Instead, offer tiny

     amounts of water. . . a tablespoon at a time...

     every 15 to 20 minutes.

3.  Offer Ice.

     Vomiting causes rapid dehydration.  Another

      way to keep some liquid in your dog, is

      offering an ice cube to lick.

4.   Give your dog some Pepto-Bismol.

      It is an effective, safe, and reliable way to 

      help manage vomiting.   

             a)  Coats the stomach to soothe

             b)  Ingredient, bismuth absorbs toxins

                   that prompt vomiting.

                    .  Dosage:  1/2 - 1 teaspoon per 5 lbs

                        of body weight.

                        Maximum dosage:  2 Tablespoons

                        up to three times a day.

                    .   Suggest using:  clean eye dropper

                        or turkey baster.  

                                  - Tilt dog's head up.

                                  -  Insert tip of applicator in

                                     cheek, and squirt-in 

                                     medicine

                                  -  hold dog's mouth closed,

                                     until you see it swallowed

              OTHER VOMITING ALERTS
                             BLOAT

A dog who repeatedly tries to vomit but cannot bring anything up, particularly a large breed dog like a Great Dane or Mastiff . . . may be suffering from a twisted stomach, causing it 

Painful and can kill a dog very quickly.

          A  VETERINARIAN EMERGENCY

Do NOT waste time using home remedies if you suspect BLOAT.  Get your dog to the animal hospital IMMEDIATELY!
RAW  SALMON:

Raw salmon carries a worm called a fluke.

The fluke carries a rickettsial parasite.

Dogs who eat raw salmon, can be infested with

infected flukes and get deathly ill, and can die

from salmon poisoning. 

             1.  takes 5-9 days after eating salmon,

                     for the dog to get sick.

             2.  dog runs a fever of 104-106 degrees F

             3.  vomits constantly

             4.  bloody diarrhea

             5.  swollen lymph nodes

DO IMMEDIATELY:                  

                      .   take dog to Animal Hospital

                      .   NO first aid can help

Dogs need intravenous fluids and supportive care to survive.  Veterinarian will look for fluke eggs in the feces to confirm the diagnosis.

When the poisoning is reached in time, a 5 to 10-day course of antibiotics like tetracycline, or chloramphenicol will get rid of the flukes and rickettsial organisms and cure the dog.

FOLLOW-UP CARE:

Once the Veterinarian has treated the cause of the vomiting, usually your dog should recover without follow-up  treatment.

TICKS

Maui, privileges us with consistent tropical climate.  Our warm and tropical foliage, however, are  inviting to ticks.  This open invitation to the American dog tick is most infectious as an adult.  These dog ticks attach themselves, then become bloated as they feed.  They bury their heads beneath the pet's skin and stay there for days as they suck blood.  You'll see a lime-bean-size leathery  pest that balloons as it becomes full.
REMOVAL OF TICKS:  Use a blunt-tipped tweezer.
                                           Grasp the body very close to pet's skin
                                           and pull it straight out, slowly and 
                                           gently in the opposite direction from 
                                           the mouth's end.
 DISPOSE OF TICK:        Either drop the tick into a container
                                            of rubbing alcohol, or flush it down 
                                            the toilet.
FOLLOW-THROUGH:  If possible, a good idea, to wash the 
                                           tick bite with an antiseptic liquid soap,
                                           or swab it with some 3% hydrogen
                                           peroxide to remove residual tick parts.
FOUND WHERE:           The sparsely furred and hard-to 
                                           reach regions of a dog's body like
                                           the ears, armpits, and between the
                                           toes, are tick targets;  but ticks can 
                                           be found anywhere on the dog' body. 
Prompt removal can prevent most diseases..  Ticks don't hop off the dog and onto another host, so it's nearly impossible to catch something from your pet.


TICK BORNE DISEASE:     Many diseases are spread by ticks because their saliva transmits microscopic organisms when they bite.  Usually however, a tick must be feeding on a pet for at least 12 hours   The Veterinarian should diagnose the problem, but disease -specific medications usually take care of the illness.
It's easy to remove ticks at home,  therefore it's seldom necessary to see your Veterinarian unless you suspect that a tick has given your dog a disease.