If your dog's paws are causing them discomfort, explore some of the dog paw allergy home remedy options listed in this article.
If you're looking for quick answers, here are our top home remedies for itchy dog paws.
Let’s take a closer look at what causes itchy paws and what natural remedies you can use.
Dog Paw Allergy Home Remedy Options
Fortunately, there are numerous ways in which you can manage and relieve your dog’s itchy paws at home. From booties to balms, these remedies promote your dog’s holistic well-being.
The natural home remedies you can use include:
1. CBD Balm
You can use CBD pet balms to soothe localized areas. Topical balms are applied directly to the affected area, and products made specifically for dogs should be safe for your pet to lick afterward.
Lolahemp’s CBD topical balm for pets contains naturally occurring CBD from the hemp plant as well as other dog-safe soothing ingredients.
2. Dog Boots
You may also consider covering the paws using boots. Using boots can, especially, be effective after applying cream or gel. It prevents the cream from rubbing off and also keeps your dog from licking it off.
Dog boots can also help prevent the occurrence of paw irritation in the first place. Covering your dog’s paw pads when walking outdoors can keep their paw pads clean and healthy. It prevents dryness, cracks, and irritation in sand, hot cement, and extreme temperatures.
3. Immunity Mushroom Chews
Lolahemp's Immunity Mushroom Chews for Dogs are formulated with a range of dog-safe mushroom extracts, colostrum, and other natural ingredients to support a healthy inflammatory response in dogs.
Learn more about mushroom chews for canine immunity here.
4. Colloidal Oatmeal Baths
Colloidal oatmeal baths are an age-old remedy that may help calm your dog's skin. It may promote calmness and relaxation by washing away allergens trapped in your dog’s fur.
Colloidal oatmeal is produced by grinding the oat into a fine powder and boiling it to extract the colloidal. You can grind plain, sugar-free colloidal oatmeal into a powder at home. Using colloidal oatmeal dog soak baths may contribute to maintaining the comfort of your dog's ears, nails, skin, and paws.
Also, oatmeal is non-toxic to canine companions. As a result, you don’t have to worry about any potential side effects on your dog’s health.
You can create your first colloidal oatmeal home remedy using the following steps:
-
Grind the oatmeal into a fine powder. Mix the powder with water to produce a milky solution.
-
Now you need to bathe your dog using the dog soak solution. Place your pet into a bathtub and pour the milky solution on their body.
-
Gently rub the solution and pay close attention to the itchy parts. You can also use a spray bottle to spray the solution on the itchy skin.
-
Leave the oatmeal mixture to sit on your dog’s skin for up to 10 minutes.
-
Rinse thoroughly and use a towel to gently dry them.
5. An Upgraded or Prescription Diet
Your dog may have allergies to some ingredients found in dog food. These ingredients can be beef, chicken, and gluten or wheat. Such ingredients can trigger your dog’s allergic reactions, leading to itchy skin or paws.
You can use an elimination diet to identify which food allergies you pet has. Then, replace those dog foods with suitable ingredients. Some common replacements to consider include fish oil (you can get it from salmon). Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are known to contribute to overall well-being, including maintaining skin and digestive function.
You can also use a vet-recommended prescription diet. Prescription diets recommended by your veterinarian contain the right ingredients to avoid allergies while supporting your dog’s health.
Always remember to consult your vet before using specific ingredients or changing your dog’s diet.
6. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a tasty homemade ingredient found in salad dressings. Read more on this study, which shows that you can use apple cider vinegar to manage mild yeast infections on the skin.
To make apple cider vinegar at home, simply mix 50% apple cider vinegar with 50% water in a clean spray bottle. For itchy pet paws, use the apple cider vinegar solution for a nice and relaxed paw soak for about 5 minutes.
Don’t use the apple cider vinegar solution on broken skin. Using it on broken skin can lead to further irritation.
Additionally, apple cider vinegar may cause gastrointestinal (GI) upset in some cases. Therefore, monitor your dog to ensure that they don’t lick off the solution.
7. Baking Soda
Apart from making your baked product rise, baking soda has more uses. You can combine it with water and blend it into a thick paste that helps dry out rashes on the skin.
As a result, baking soda can be used to support skin health, especially for dogs with sensitive skin.
To use baking soda for dogs at home, follow the following steps:
-
Create a paste by mixing 50% baking soda with 50% water. To create a moisturized blend, add a small amount of high-quality coconut oil to the paste.
-
Apply the mixture on the itchy areas of your dog’s paws and skin
-
Wait for 20 minutes before rinsing completely
- Don't let your dog consume large amounts of baking soda. It is safe to consume in small amounts, but large amounts could be harmful.
8. Chamomile and Herbal Tea Soaks
Green tea, chamomile, and calendula contain the right properties to soothe and cool off irritated skin. These ingredients can be very useful additions to a dog bath.
To use herbal green tea soak, add tea bags to a tub with warm water. Now, let the tea bags steep for up to 3 minutes. Remove the tea bags and let your dog soak in the green tea bath for at least 5 minutes. This solution is helpful for dogs with hot, itchy skin patches.
Symptoms of Itchy Dog Paws
The symptoms of itchy dog paws can be a bit subtle. However, there are common indicators such as excessive licking of the paws, which leads to redness or inflammation. Also, your dog might be limping or favoring one paw over the others due to discomfort.
In severe cases, the dog's paws may lose hair due to persistent scratching or discharge of an unusual odor.
To know whether your dog has itchy paws, keep an eye out for:
-
Discoloration of your dog’s fur, especially around the paws
-
Licking and chewing the paws
-
Limping
-
Nibbling between toes
-
Paw hair loss
-
Cracks or dryness around the pads
-
Red and irritated paws
-
Wet spots on your sheets or carpet due to obsessive paw licking
-
Abnormal paw odor
-
Development of hot spots due to the inflammation on the toes
Why are your Dog’s Paws Itchy?
The well-being of your canine companion is a top priority. Therefore, when the issue of itchy paws becomes a persistent problem, it’s time to identify the potential culprits.
There are various reasons why your dog may have itchy paws. The most common causes are allergies. Allergens such as grass, food proteins, and pollen can make your pup itch everywhere. However, the paws are the most affected parts.
Let’s take a closer look at these causes:
1. Allergies
Allergies are by far the most common causes of itchy dog paws. Just like humans, dogs also experience allergies. If your dog has allergies, you may notice symptoms like sneezing, nasal discharge, eye discharge, red and swollen eyes, red and itchy paws, itching and scratching other body parts, and ear infections.
Various factors can cause your pet to develop allergies. Some of these factors are environmental. For instance, moving to a different state or city.
New environments come with different trees, grass, and flora-like plants, which may trigger your dog’s allergies. Whether your pet is reacting to food, pollen, insect bites, dust mites, fleas, or environmental allergies like grass, allergic reactions can translate to itchy dog paws.
Identifying and managing the triggers of your dog’s allergic reaction is key to restoring peace and comfort to your pet’s paws. Consult your veterinarian to identify allergy management solutions that are right for your canine friend.
2. Dry, Cracked, or Irritated Paw Pads
Sometimes, your dog may be perfectly normal but develop itchy paws after a walk. Dry, cracked, or irritated paw pads may develop due to reasons like:
-
Walking through sand since it dries out your pet’s feet.
-
Hot cement, which may burn your pet’s paw pads. This burn may lead to irritation, pain, and itching.
-
Ice melt products after a winter walk. These products can potentially irritate your pet’s paw pads.
These scenarios can also cause the paw pads to crack.
3. Dirty Paws, Excess Moisture, and Poor Paw Hygiene
Dirt and moisture can cause your dog’s paws to itch. During outdoor activities, dirt and moisture can accumulate in your dog’s paws. If dirt and moisture get stuck between your dog’s paw pads, they may irritate or even lead to an infection.
Therefore, paw hygiene is important to keep dirt and moisture away. Regularly clean and dry your dog’s paws after water play. Regular hygiene checkups can go a long way in preventing irritated skin and itchy paws.
4. Fungal Skin and Dog Paw Infection
Fungal infections are also common causes of extreme discomfort and irritation for your dog. Yeast can settle in the nooks and crannies of your canine companion’s paws. The build-up of yeast leads to redness and discomfort, a symptom of fungal infection.
Yeast infections mostly appear between the toes and paw pads. These areas are tight and don’t get as much airflow as other body parts. As a result, they tend to trap moisture.
The dog paw infection problem is further worsened when a dog has hairy feet. Hairy feet tend to hold moisture close to the skin. As a result, the dog may develop a yeast infection of the skin.
Dogs can also develop yeast infections due to the excessive licking of paws when they have allergies. Licking increases moisture in your dog’s skin and paws. Additionally, dogs who live in wet environments or those who frequently go swimming may be prone to developing paw yeast infections.
One of the very first signs you’ll notice when your dog has yeast infections is the smell. Yeast infections smell musty (like moldy cheese). Also, the paws might have a moist, red, irritated, and itchy appearance.
Therefore, your dog’s itchy paws may be a sign of yeast overgrowth. Yeast overgrowth emphasizes the importance of hygiene routines and regular paw inspections. Also, always remember to keep your dog’s paws moisturized since dry paw pads can lead to cracking and peeling.
5. Bacterial Skin Infections
Excessive moisture also sets up a perfect environment for the growth of bacterial skin infections. Licking and chewing are among the common ways that your dog may develop bacterial infections of the skin or paws.
Parasites and hormonal disorders can also lead to bacterial infections. As a result, your dog might develop red and itchy paws that look irritated. The paws may, sometimes, become painful, swollen, or even develop an odd odor.
Managing your Dog’s Itchy Skin using Veterinary Medicine
If your dog experiences severe itching and you’ve already ruled out any potential causes like allergies and the environment, visit a licensed veterinarian dermatologist immediately.
A veterinarian dermatologist is a veterinarian with specialized training in skin and ear-related conditions, especially in dogs and cats. The veterinarian dermatologist will run tests that general practitioners don’t have the capacity or equipment to handle. As a result, you will have better chances of identifying the root cause of your dog’s itchiness faster.
However, it can be expensive to deal with dry, cracked, or yeast-infected dog paws. The average cost of a dog allergy test is around $200 per session. The test could also require multiple tries to identify the exact cause of itchy skin or paws.
Fortunately, you can use a dog insurance policy to cover the cost of treating your dog’s itchy paws. Insurance firms like Independence American Insurance Company can cover the cost of your dog’s allergy test and treatment, giving you comfort and peace of mind.
Conclusion
As you have gathered, various reasons can lead to itchy dog paws. The multitude of reasons also means that therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all.
To get to the bottom of the issue, you need to involve your vet. You may experience challenges identifying the right ingredient from the list of natural remedies like apple cider vinegar, CBD oil balm, and aloe vera gel. Your vet will offer proper advice and help you identify the right natural treatments for your dog.
References:
-
Read more on the use of apple cider vinegar in pet dermatology.
-
Read more on the diagnostic and treatment options for dog skin allergies.
-
Read more on the safety and side effects of apple cider vinegar.
-
Discover Lolahemp's CBD oil products for your dog's holistic support.
-
Read more on the how colloidal oatmeal supports healthy skin.
