Licking paw (again)

[Willow and J]

I know this topic has come up a million times by now, but I'm posting again because I really need a solution.

So. Here's the picture:

Willow has been licking one back paw obsessively for a month now. This is after we put her on limited ingredient diet, anti-histamine, and immunotherapy shots. Her allergic symptoms are all gone except for this paw, and we're thinking it's yeast and not allergy for that reason.

When Willow was tested for allergy in March, she was diagnosed for yeast on paw(s?) and was put on anti-fungal. She was not licking paws then, but she has since May-June. I know if we take her to a vet, she'd be on anti-fungal again, but I'm not so keen on putting her on medication so often. Willow has been diagnosed with yeast in her paws pretty much every time we took her in (once in 3 months or so) regardless of licking or not, and I have a feeling that anti-fungal meditation is not working very well on her (or she's getting less responsive to it.)

We use "the powder" for her ears but not paws, but it's gotten so bad that we dusted her paw with it, put a bootie on to prevent licking. We tried this a couple of times and it did not work. We are not going to try it again since licking the powder is BAD for dogs anyway.

We tried Benedryl spray, hydrocortisone ointment, ACV, AND Listerine. Nothing worked. She loves licking ACV and Listerine. Willow is one of those rare doodle who would lick ANYTHING, sour, bitter, sweet, you name it.

We trimmed her nails and paws and looked closely several times and didn't find any scrapes or injury. 

So, her Daddy, out of frustration, has been putting a bootie on her when she's inside, which is bad for yeast, and we were completely out of ideas.

What should we do?? 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'd ask the dermatologist for a topical treament, since it's limited to the one paw. I've used Resi-Ketochlor, alone and with Genesis. JD's dermatologist prescribed them and they really helped. 

But it's possible that since it's just the one paw, there is something else bothering her, or that the licking is just a nervous habit. (I'm not sure I believe in that last thing, but I've heard it mentioned often enough that there might be some validity to it.) I would take her in to see the dermatologist and have a scraping done to determine if it's yeast or something else.

[Willow and J]

Thank you, Karen, as always. "Nervous habit" is something I've never heard of. She's been suffering from ACL injury, and it's the foot that she favors. Hmmm... It didn't occur to me that ACL injury and licking paw pad would be related, but it's intriguing.

I think by now she might have yeast too by licking the paw, even if that might not be the reason that started licking. I guess another trip to a vet is required. I wish we had a better dermatologist in town. The only one we have prescribed Atopica, anti-fungal, and anti-biotics all in one visit without even testing for her allergy, so we won't be going back to him.   

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

With JD, the allergy related foot licking was mostly the top part of the paws, to the point that he would strip off all the fur. The fur between the pads would be affected too, but nowhere near as much. 

[Willow and J]

It does make sense to me what you said about "something else bothering", the more I think about it. Willow may be stepping on an angle to compensate the other back leg that she puts less weight on, and maybe she's chafed in one area on her paw since more weight is on the spot? If that's why she's licking, is there a remedy for it? I guess putting a bootie on that paw wasn't a bad idea after all, but would putting on moisturizer (vaseline?) help?

[F, Calla & Luca]

I would not use Vaseline which would just seal moisture in something the yeast would love.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Exactly.

[Willow and J]

I see. No Vaseline!

[F, Calla & Luca]

How about a vinegar dip. Vinegar does allay yeast and I din't think it could hurt Willow. I would dip a couple of times a day for a few days to see if it helps. Of course once they start licking one spot a bacterial hot spot sometimes develops.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Or an epsom salt soak, That might help too. 

[Willow and J]

Willow loves to lick vinegar and salt, but we'll try dipping and keep our eyes on. Thank you for the tip. 

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

When this happens to Wally, I sprinkle on some Dr. Scholl's Soothing Foot Powder.  Do you think that Willow would allow you to trim carefully the hair that's between her paw pads.  Perhaps the irritating culprit lurks under her foot between her pads, rather than up on top between her toes.  I did this recently to the foot that Wally was licking, and discovered that there was a very small scab between two of his pads, which I couldn't see with all of his hair blocking my view.  Since using the medicated powder for several days, he is no longer licking that foot.  

[Willow and J]

Ha. Foot powder. I'll look into this.
Upon reading your comment, I took another look this evening at Willow's paw. She didn't want me to trim too much, but I did see a scab between toes. It maybe from licking, but I'm sure that's now an added reason for her licking. Thank you for the suggestion.