Certain skin diseases result in red paws in dogs. The paws are often very itchy, causing the dog to constantly lick its feet. Here are some typical causes of skin diseases on dogs' paws.

 

Common causes of irritated paws

 

Direct contact with skin-irritating substances when walking. These irritants can be chemicals on the lawn, road salt in winter or cleaning agents on the floor. 

Red paws can also be a side effect of food allergies. The paws are then very red, itchy and inflamed. Other symptoms often occur, such as hair loss and digestive problems.

Parasites may have entered the dog's body through the paws and caused irritation. The entry point is not always visible.

If only one of the paws is irritated or inflamed, there may be a splinter in the ball of the foot, an insect bite or a fungal infection.

Dogs that are bored often start to nibble at their paws until the pads become inflamed. 

 

Relief

 

Wash the dog's paws with a mild dog shampoo and rinse with a 1:1 mixture of clear vinegar and water. Until the irritation has healed, the dog should wear socks or bandages on its paws.

 

 

Treatment

 

If the cause cannot be clearly determined and the irritation does not disappear after a few days, the dog should be taken to the vet. A single dose of a worming agent helps against parasites, after which the sore feet heal automatically.

If it is a food allergy, the allergy trigger must be tested and the diet changed.

Fungal diseases can usually be treated with ointments.

If there is a splinter in the foot, the splinter must be removed and the wound disinfected.

If the dog suffers from constant boredom and paw licking has become a habit, it needs to be taken for walks more often and kept busier at home.

Until the inflammation has healed, it helps if the dog wears a collar that prevents it from licking its paws.