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Dal who is chewing the pads of her feet PetPlanet Vets PPAdmin pettalk@petplanet.co.uk |
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Dear Serena, What you describe is quite unusual. I occasionally see dogs who chew at an area on top of their front paws and it often seems to be related to stress - in the same way as people will bite their nails, or smoke a cigarette, some dogs will chew at their feet to relieve stress. But I do not think I have ever seen a dog who actually chews at a particular pad until it is raw. The first thing to do is to have her checked over by your vet to see if there is a medical condition involved that could be making her feet itchy and so causing her to chew at them. I know of dogs who will chew at a particular area { normally near their hips } when they have blocked anal glands which need to be emptied by a vet, so the underlying problem may not be where you might think it is initially. It does sound suspicious of a behavioural problem, if it is something she used to do when she was little and now has started again. Has there been any change in her routine that could have upset her recently ? Some dogs get separation anxiety, where as soon as you leave them alone they will get upset and start to panic. This can take the form of being destructive, either to the house or to themselves. This can be gradually overcome by desensitising her to your leaving her alone. Your vet will be able to tell you more about this, or refer you to an animal behaviourist, if this seems to be the problem. You mention that it may coincide with her not eating properly - does she get an upset gut regularly ? Could she be having stomach cramps and chewing at her feet to try to take her mind of them ? Speak to your vet, who can actually see her feet and will be able to point you in the right direction. hope this is of some help, Maeve Moorcroft MVB MRCVS { PetPlanet Vet }
Pets | Cats | Dogs |
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