My 3 year old dog has recently (last two weeks) picked up an unusual behavior...?

The licking he is doing has caused a 'hot spot'. It happens when there is some irritation and the dog (or cat) begins licking the area to make it feel better. The bad thing is, the saliva that is left on the site itches terribly as it dries, causing more licking, becoming a vicious cycle, lick, itch, lick some more, itch more. The area can become denuded of hair within hours in an aggressive licker, then the skin begins to wear away into an actual sore. You need to take the dog to the vet to make sure there is no infection in the nail bed that was torn. Then, if your dog is long haired, the vet will probably shave the area so that cleaning is easier. Do not put anything on the area now. But you can wash the foot in warm water with DILUTE, MILD soap. Make sure you rinse the foot THOROUGHLY. Do not leave any soap residue on the area, that will cause more itching. Then make sure you dry the foot really well. That should help through the night until you can get to the vet.

Make sure you do get him to the vet, some dogs can become truly OBSESSED with the licking, just one minor thing like this can set them off.

he hurts, take him to the vet, you should have taken him when he ripped it!! read what you wrote and dont think of him as your dog, but as some random persons:

About two weeks ago he was running outside and tore one of his nails and thats when the licking began, but now it is out of control. It has become so bad he will not let me pick his paws up and examine them. His skin is pink and I am wondering if it has become chaffed or something of that nature. He isn't limping, but I find that when he is on colder surfaces (ie: the kitchen floor) he is a bit more sensitive and tries to get off the floor. Anybody have any ideas? Should I take him to the vet since he has become so sensitive...please help...I feel SO bad. :( Thank you! :)

and you would probably be thinking the same as me "poor dog, has to put up wiht this, and this owner and just is licking to feel better since dog salivia is one of the naturally cleanest things, i hope she gets her sorry butt out of the office chair and turns off the computer long enough to take this sad dog to the vet and help him feel bettter, and if she truly did fell bad she would call the vet not a bunch of internet people!"

Im not trying to be harsh, just truthful Good Luck

Your dog may have dew poisoning (especially if his paws are white) Some dogs are very sensitive to dew on the grass.

Also, your dog could have Sarcoptic mange. It often starts on the feet and as it gets worse, moves to other areas...usually the back or hips.

Having said that, you will want to get the dog to the vet.

Now, I can tell you, that if the dog has either one, there is a wonderful product that will help (a lot cheaper than what you can get from the vet).No-Kill Shelters use it instead of the high priced Revolution heartworm preventitive. In fact it is the same stuff.

Go to a farm store, like Tractor Supply and get Iver-On.

It's liquid Ivermectin for cattle, but it keeps fleas, ticks and mesquitos off of dogs (therefore NO heartworms either)

I use it year round for my dogs because one of the I adopted carries Sarcoptic Mange and it will spread to the other two if left untreated. It costs me $20 about every 8 months and I treat 3 dogs. You use 1 1/2 cc per every 14 pounds of the dog's weight.. You put it right between the shoulder blades just like other heartworm meds. When I adopted my last dog, they told me about it at the shelter and it keeps my dogs healthy and happy and has for 3 years now.

You might even try that first and if it hasn't helped within a week, see your vet, PLEASE!

Good luck

Indeed take him to the vet and have him checked out.

But here is a suggestion as to what it might be: With some dogs this can develop into an obsessive compulsive behaviour once they start. Our dog started doing this and it got to the point where she was getting sores on her paws from obsessive licking. We took her to two vets before the second vet just told us she was doing it because she was probably bored. It is much like a person's habit of chewing their fingernails. We upped her activity level and told her no her when she started licking. The sores went away and the whole reason was just that she was bored.

Does your dog also lick his hind paws when he's laying down? Ours did this too. Look at the book The Dog Bible. It explains it in that book as an obsessive compulsive behaviour common to certain breeds. Stress can also cause it.

Sounds like a possible infection.

Then too, it could be a broken, sprained, or strained toe. Sprains and strains are different from each other, both cause varying degrees of pain, and can take a long time to heal.

Use your judgement. If you suspect an infection, then I would agree that you should take the dog to the vet. It can easily get much worse, and nobody likes regret.

If vet dosn't find any reason for the licking, sour apples spray can be purchased at the pet store. It is used to spray on things you don't want your dog to chew or lick on, including places on the dog itself. It is completely safe for dog, but nasty to taste.

My dobe is a digger. And nothing you wrote here would give me cause to think there is any physical disorder. In fact, I agree with another poster, it sounds more obsessive compulsive. I would rather go holistic then invasive at this point- to me, a bunch of tests can just aggravate it. Please consider Crab Apple- its a Bach flower essence. It is harmless and inexpensive - you can either just put a few drops in her water bowl (and don't worry if the other dogs drink from it) or dispense 2 drops in her mouth directly from the dropper. Do it about 4 x per day - most important at night before they retire. If I'm wrong - it wont hurt her. But if I'm right - superficial upsets (indicated by recent change in behaviour vs long term) will be addressed in 24 hours.

Yes you should take him to the vet. He could have a bad infection,or it could be something simple like allergies. My dog has the foot licking problem everytime things start to bloom. This is starting to be spring so when the piosenivy the poison oak and all the pollen in the air. He starts having that problem again. He also does it when his toe nails start to get brittle, and is time to clip them again. My dog is verylow to the ground though, so these thingd tent to bother him more then most other breeds. He is a mini dachshund.

yes please take him to the vet. the nail injury might have been worse than you thought. since he broke only 1 nail and is licking both feet i would think allergies more than the nail issue. but only a vet will be able to examine your dog and tell you what it is.

just go to the vet. don't put things on the paws keeping the dog from licking. that would be miserable to have an itch but not be able to scratch it. it's best to find the cause of the itch and not just treat the symptom. if something needs to be done to keep your dog from licking until it heals your vet will let you know.

You should definitely take him to the vet. It could be an infection or it might not be related to the nail. It might be allergies (it's a common manifestation - licking paws). Either way, it's obviously uncomfortable for him and you need to have it looked at.

I agree with everyone who suggest taking him to the vet. One of my dogs had this problem a long time ago, so the vet did some tests and we found out it was caused by an allergy to her food. We switched diets and she had to take medications for a while, but she's doing great now.