My West Highland White Terrier keeps licking his paws. Can anyone help?

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How is Oscar doing this week?


Thank you Sam for your interest in Oscar. Well, he has been on his Yumega Oil ever since and I changed his food to the James Wellbeloved. Unfortunately I have had to put him back on steroids (which upsets me terribly). It all got to distressing for him. He has been on the steroids now for 3 days and although he is still at those little paws, its not to the same intensity. I feel so sorry for him, but still hoping that the yumega oil kicks in and the food. He seems to have lost that little sparkle in his eyes. Thanks again Sam :hug:
 
Aw poor little soul. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the changes start to have a postive result soon for him.

If he is getting destressed, it might be a good ideal to try some of the dorwest herbs a try, it you ring them, they will go through everything with you and hopefully be able to recommend something to help.
 
Just an update on Oscar.

Well, things just got so bad that I decided to take him to a different Vet and Im so pleased to say we now have a good plan in action.

Unfortunately though he is back on a larger dose of steroids for 4 days and then a reduced dose for a couple of weeks and antibiotics for 6 weeks. The vet wants to target the problem from the inside out and gave him drops to take as well. He said he had a mixture of really bad eczema and a fungal infection too and probably some form of allergy. He also needs me to continue to bathe his paws every day.

Today is day 3 and Oscar is back to his playful and happy self. He looks so happy and is looking at me now after his lovely walk. I also give him the Yumega Oil and his coat is just lovely.

Hoping now that things continue to go well and thanks to everyone for your advice. It does my heart good to see him almost smiling at me as if to say thanks mum!
 
:mad:
Just an update on Oscar.

Well, things just got so bad that I decided to take him to a different Vet and Im so pleased to say we now have a good plan in action.

Unfortunately though he is back on a larger dose of steroids for 4 days and then a reduced dose for a couple of weeks and antibiotics for 6 weeks. The vet wants to target the problem from the inside out and gave him drops to take as well. He said he had a mixture of really bad eczema and a fungal infection too and probably some form of allergy. He also needs me to continue to bathe his paws every day.

Today is day 3 and Oscar is back to his playful and happy self. He looks so happy and is looking at me now after his lovely walk. I also give him the Yumega Oil and his coat is just lovely.

Hoping now that things continue to go well and thanks to everyone for your advice. It does my heart good to see him almost smiling at me as if to say thanks mum!


I'm glad that you seem to be getting some help from the new vet. Been there, done that, my old boy Floyd (PTS Nov 2010) tore his cursiate (SP?) legurment when he was 5 yrs old but my old vet said to wait to do surgery as it was a partal tare and to wait for it to fully go, so I did as I was advised at the time, I kept him on rested and on lead at all times for 6 months as I was told and he was also on Metacam. Fast forward 3 years, at this point I asked the vet to do the surgery as Floyd was not getting any better or worse and I felt it should have been done bfore now. At the point the vet tells me that he can not do the surgery anymore due to damage to the joint for the tear :mad:. While I was upset, I still trusted the vet and thought it was just one of those unlucky things. Fastward another few year, Floyd is now 10, I bought a new SBT puppy bitch, who I called Holly. 3 weeks after getting her, she starts to have a grandmall fit at 10pm on a Saturday night. I had to take her to an out of hours vets who covered my vets out of hours emerganceys. This out of hours vets is acculty only 5-10 mintues from my house, so worked out well. The only way to stop the fit was to anethotise Holly. Holly had to stay at the vet hospital for 3 days, until they could controll the fits. The out of hours vet wanted to do an MRI and also check for a liver shunt as 13 weeks of age is too young to be eplipsey. My vet refused, saying it was just the out of hours vets bumping up the costs. Everything was fine for 4 weeks and then Holly went into another grandmall, this time she went to my vets as they where open, as before the only way to stop the fits was to give her a GA. She spent just under a week at my vets, he tested for a liver shunt but still said she didnt need an MRI and due to the argeement with my vet, the out of hours vets could not do one with his permission. My old vet put Holly of medcation to pervent any more fits. Again no problems until Holly reach 22/23 weeks of ago and then she started fitting again in the middle of the night. I had to wait until my OH got home with the car to get her to the out of hours vets, which took about an hour, I tired to keep her cool outside as a fit over 10 mintues basicaly starts to cook the brain. This time the fits where worse, as soon as one stoped, the next started. Holly was too ill to be moved, so stayed with the out of hours vets. Everytime they tried to bring her out of the GA, she started fitting again. They manged to get another vet surgery across town to do an MRI (as the out of hours vet used a moblie MRI which would have meant waiting 3 days) The MRI showed swelling in her brain and they started her on chemo and other meds to try and reduce the swelling while waiting for lab tests back from a spinal fuild test, next day I got the call I was dearding, test came back and the MRI had been seen by a speaciliist, Holly had meningitis and it had caused major brain damage, even if they could have stopped the fits, she had at best 6 months left to live and she would not be herself anymore, so we made the hard choice and had her PTS. They would not let me have her on my lap due to the chemo drugs and at this point she was fitting while under GA, I held her head and rested mine of hers as we ended her suffering.

I changed me vets as soon as the 6 month period was over to the out of hours vets after I took Floyd to them for a second opion.. Yes they might be bloody expensive (thats what insurance is for lol) but if they had been allowed to treat her how they wanted at the start, Holly would still be here. Because my old vet was too worried about spending money, by the time we found out what was wrong, too much damage had been done and there was nothing anyone could have done.

Floyd should have had the surgery when he was 5 but as I left it as I was told was best, it had caused damage to his knee, the other knee went also and his spin nevers where damaged due to the way he was walking. My now new vet, did surgery on one knee last year and it gae Floyd a whole new lease on life for the last 6 months of his life, unfortantly his spin nevers deterated a lot faster than expected and I had to have him PTS, it broke my heart, he was 13 and a half but I honestly believe he would still be here if I had inststed on the surgery all those years ago

I really hope you get to the bottom of oscars problem with this new vet
 
My shih Tzu started licking his paws and bottom of his tail and in the end the vet found out he had allergies and a lot of them!! Poor thing has steroids every couple of months he's not as bad but still licks his paws at night when he's on his bed lol

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App
 
:mad:


I'm glad that you seem to be getting some help from the new vet. Been there, done that, my old boy Floyd (PTS Nov 2010) tore his cursiate (SP?) legurment when he was 5 yrs old but my old vet said to wait to do surgery as it was a partal tare and to wait for it to fully go, so I did as I was advised at the time, I kept him on rested and on lead at all times for 6 months as I was told and he was also on Metacam. Fast forward 3 years, at this point I asked the vet to do the surgery as Floyd was not getting any better or worse and I felt it should have been done bfore now. At the point the vet tells me that he can not do the surgery anymore due to damage to the joint for the tear :mad:. While I was upset, I still trusted the vet and thought it was just one of those unlucky things. Fastward another few year, Floyd is now 10, I bought a new SBT puppy bitch, who I called Holly. 3 weeks after getting her, she starts to have a grandmall fit at 10pm on a Saturday night. I had to take her to an out of hours vets who covered my vets out of hours emerganceys. This out of hours vets is acculty only 5-10 mintues from my house, so worked out well. The only way to stop the fit was to anethotise Holly. Holly had to stay at the vet hospital for 3 days, until they could controll the fits. The out of hours vet wanted to do an MRI and also check for a liver shunt as 13 weeks of age is too young to be eplipsey. My vet refused, saying it was just the out of hours vets bumping up the costs. Everything was fine for 4 weeks and then Holly went into another grandmall, this time she went to my vets as they where open, as before the only way to stop the fits was to give her a GA. She spent just under a week at my vets, he tested for a liver shunt but still said she didnt need an MRI and due to the argeement with my vet, the out of hours vets could not do one with his permission. My old vet put Holly of medcation to pervent any more fits. Again no problems until Holly reach 22/23 weeks of ago and then she started fitting again in the middle of the night. I had to wait until my OH got home with the car to get her to the out of hours vets, which took about an hour, I tired to keep her cool outside as a fit over 10 mintues basicaly starts to cook the brain. This time the fits where worse, as soon as one stoped, the next started. Holly was too ill to be moved, so stayed with the out of hours vets. Everytime they tried to bring her out of the GA, she started fitting again. They manged to get another vet surgery across town to do an MRI (as the out of hours vet used a moblie MRI which would have meant waiting 3 days) The MRI showed swelling in her brain and they started her on chemo and other meds to try and reduce the swelling while waiting for lab tests back from a spinal fuild test, next day I got the call I was dearding, test came back and the MRI had been seen by a speaciliist, Holly had meningitis and it had caused major brain damage, even if they could have stopped the fits, she had at best 6 months left to live and she would not be herself anymore, so we made the hard choice and had her PTS. They would not let me have her on my lap due to the chemo drugs and at this point she was fitting while under GA, I held her head and rested mine of hers as we ended her suffering.

I changed me vets as soon as the 6 month period was over to the out of hours vets after I took Floyd to them for a second opion.. Yes they might be bloody expensive (thats what insurance is for lol) but if they had been allowed to treat her how they wanted at the start, Holly would still be here. Because my old vet was too worried about spending money, by the time we found out what was wrong, too much damage had been done and there was nothing anyone could have done.

Floyd should have had the surgery when he was 5 but as I left it as I was told was best, it had caused damage to his knee, the other knee went also and his spin nevers where damaged due to the way he was walking. My now new vet, did surgery on one knee last year and it gae Floyd a whole new lease on life for the last 6 months of his life, unfortantly his spin nevers deterated a lot faster than expected and I had to have him PTS, it broke my heart, he was 13 and a half but I honestly believe he would still be here if I had inststed on the surgery all those years ago

I really hope you get to the bottom of oscars problem with this new vet



I have read your story and it seems so sad and I truely feel your pain which still seems very raw. You seem to me to be a very caring person and this has hurt you so much and the fact that you have read Oscar's story has brought this pain back to you. Please don't beat yourself up. You done what you thought was right at the time. I too get upset with how Oscar has been all this time and because I took the step to seek someone new helps me now, but makes me wish I had done this sooner. You sound to me to be a deep and lovely person and your darling Floyd and little Holly, I am most sure will have loved you as much as you loved him. I am tearful for you at this moment :hug:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I had my westie for almost 16 years. He licked his paws some. We weren't really concerned. Maybe a skin and hair supplement can help if is is the skin. Also have you tried new toys it could be out of boredom. It is also good to add fresh veggies to their diet. Just for a snack. Ours would eat baby carrots and frozen string beans. I miss my baby so much:cry:

*EDIT*
Oh never mind i see u are using a coat supplement. Good luck.
 
I have read your story and it seems so sad and I truely feel your pain which still seems very raw. You seem to me to be a very caring person and this has hurt you so much and the fact that you have read Oscar's story has brought this pain back to you. Please don't beat yourself up. You done what you thought was right at the time. I too get upset with how Oscar has been all this time and because I took the step to seek someone new helps me now, but makes me wish I had done this sooner. You sound to me to be a deep and lovely person and your darling Floyd and little Holly, I am most sure will have loved you as much as you loved him. I am tearful for you at this moment :hug:

Hi Tonic,

Thanks for that lovely reply. While I will always have a part of me that wishes things had been done differantly, I learned a long time ago that you can not change the past, only learn from it. Thats why I shared what happened to mine own dogs with you, in the hope you may benefit from it in some way.

I did what I beleived was right at the time with the information I was given by a professional vet. Like wish you have done the same for Oscar, we are not professional vets and can only follow the advice we are given. I hope Oscar finds some releaf from your new vet. Keep us posted on how he gets on, bless him.

Sam xxx
 
Hi everyone, it has been a while since I posted and I thought I would update you all on Oscar.

Well, I am glad to say he is doing really well at the moment. His steroids are now able to be reduced and he will be off them completely in another two weeks. He has been given a new tablet called Atopica and will be on these for a while. The Vet said that the Atopica will help with allergies and is better for him than steroids. His skin is now back in great condition, with no redness or rawness and he is no longer licking his paws. As you all know I will feel a lot better when he is off the steroids completely and hopefully the Atopica will keep him from starting to lick his paws all over again. Fingers crossed!
 
Thats good news, best of luck with his new treatment and I'll keep my fingers crossed that his skin stays healthy from here on in.

Sam xxx
 
I love Westies, don't have one...yet, but like to see how Oscar is doing.

I was watching a programe the other day and they had a Westie constantly licking/scratchin its paws and it turned out be be something to do with the owner feeding it chicken, don't ask me the ins and outs but when it stopped eating chicken it didn't lick/scratch/chew its paws.:|
 
After reading through these thread (albeit briefly), one thing that hasn't been mentioned is boredom or loneliness.

I have two jack russells and they are fine. However, my brother has a golden labrador who bites all four of his feet until they bleed and are red-raw. However, when he come to us for dog-sitting, his foot biting reduces soooooo much (with us shouting "stop" at him if we do catch him doing it). We (my bro and I) think he may be doing it out of boredom/loneliness, as no vet has found a problem, and being around my two dogs relieves his stress factor - dogs are pack animals after all (even tho my 2 ignore him at best or snarl and snap at worst lol).

So, for those geek who have dogs with the same problem - are you all 1-dog families? Would be interesting to find out.
 
After reading through these thread (albeit briefly), one thing that hasn't been mentioned is boredom or loneliness.

I have two jack russells and they are fine. However, my brother has a golden labrador who bites all four of his feet until they bleed and are red-raw. However, when he come to us for dog-sitting, his foot biting reduces soooooo much (with us shouting "stop" at him if we do catch him doing it). We (my bro and I) think he may be doing it out of boredom/loneliness, as no vet has found a problem, and being around my two dogs relieves his stress factor - dogs are pack animals after all (even tho my 2 ignore him at best or snarl and snap at worst lol).

So, for those geek who have dogs with the same problem - are you all 1-dog families? Would be interesting to find out.


Hi,

No, Oscar is not alone. We also have a Jack Russell and they get on very well. They are walked daily, and are never alone at home. There is always someone there. When he is on steroids he stops licking, so I think if it were boredom or habit this would not be the case. Thanks anyhow for trying to help.
 
:mad:


I'm glad that you seem to be getting some help from the new vet. Been there, done that, my old boy Floyd (PTS Nov 2010) tore his cursiate (SP?) legurment when he was 5 yrs old but my old vet said to wait to do surgery as it was a partal tare and to wait for it to fully go, so I did as I was advised at the time, I kept him on rested and on lead at all times for 6 months as I was told and he was also on Metacam. Fast forward 3 years, at this point I asked the vet to do the surgery as Floyd was not getting any better or worse and I felt it should have been done bfore now. At the point the vet tells me that he can not do the surgery anymore due to damage to the joint for the tear :mad:. While I was upset, I still trusted the vet and thought it was just one of those unlucky things. Fastward another few year, Floyd is now 10, I bought a new SBT puppy bitch, who I called Holly. 3 weeks after getting her, she starts to have a grandmall fit at 10pm on a Saturday night. I had to take her to an out of hours vets who covered my vets out of hours emerganceys. This out of hours vets is acculty only 5-10 mintues from my house, so worked out well. The only way to stop the fit was to anethotise Holly. Holly had to stay at the vet hospital for 3 days, until they could controll the fits. The out of hours vet wanted to do an MRI and also check for a liver shunt as 13 weeks of age is too young to be eplipsey. My vet refused, saying it was just the out of hours vets bumping up the costs. Everything was fine for 4 weeks and then Holly went into another grandmall, this time she went to my vets as they where open, as before the only way to stop the fits was to give her a GA. She spent just under a week at my vets, he tested for a liver shunt but still said she didnt need an MRI and due to the argeement with my vet, the out of hours vets could not do one with his permission. My old vet put Holly of medcation to pervent any more fits. Again no problems until Holly reach 22/23 weeks of ago and then she started fitting again in the middle of the night. I had to wait until my OH got home with the car to get her to the out of hours vets, which took about an hour, I tired to keep her cool outside as a fit over 10 mintues basicaly starts to cook the brain. This time the fits where worse, as soon as one stoped, the next started. Holly was too ill to be moved, so stayed with the out of hours vets. Everytime they tried to bring her out of the GA, she started fitting again. They manged to get another vet surgery across town to do an MRI (as the out of hours vet used a moblie MRI which would have meant waiting 3 days) The MRI showed swelling in her brain and they started her on chemo and other meds to try and reduce the swelling while waiting for lab tests back from a spinal fuild test, next day I got the call I was dearding, test came back and the MRI had been seen by a speaciliist, Holly had meningitis and it had caused major brain damage, even if they could have stopped the fits, she had at best 6 months left to live and she would not be herself anymore, so we made the hard choice and had her PTS. They would not let me have her on my lap due to the chemo drugs and at this point she was fitting while under GA, I held her head and rested mine of hers as we ended her suffering.

I changed me vets as soon as the 6 month period was over to the out of hours vets after I took Floyd to them for a second opion.. Yes they might be bloody expensive (thats what insurance is for lol) but if they had been allowed to treat her how they wanted at the start, Holly would still be here. Because my old vet was too worried about spending money, by the time we found out what was wrong, too much damage had been done and there was nothing anyone could have done.

Floyd should have had the surgery when he was 5 but as I left it as I was told was best, it had caused damage to his knee, the other knee went also and his spin nevers where damaged due to the way he was walking. My now new vet, did surgery on one knee last year and it gae Floyd a whole new lease on life for the last 6 months of his life, unfortantly his spin nevers deterated a lot faster than expected and I had to have him PTS, it broke my heart, he was 13 and a half but I honestly believe he would still be here if I had inststed on the surgery all those years ago

I really hope you get to the bottom of oscars problem with this new vet

*cry* I'm seriously crying...that's so sad ;( poor Holly...*cry* I'm so sorry ;( so sorry ;(
 
Hi everyone, it has been a while since I posted and I thought I would update you all on Oscar.

Well, I am glad to say he is doing really well at the moment. His steroids are now able to be reduced and he will be off them completely in another two weeks. He has been given a new tablet called Atopica and will be on these for a while. The Vet said that the Atopica will help with allergies and is better for him than steroids. His skin is now back in great condition, with no redness or rawness and he is no longer licking his paws. As you all know I will feel a lot better when he is off the steroids completely and hopefully the Atopica will keep him from starting to lick his paws all over again. Fingers crossed!

This is very common in westies and shar peis (I have 3 peis) 2 of them have this and my vet won't give them steroids more than once so if it carries on atopica is the way for us too, glad to have it confirmed it works, thanks :)
 
I have the most amazing 12 year old Westie that I adopted almost a year ago who has been having itching issues for the past 2 weeks and has been on antibiotics and a corticosteriod/antihistimine for over a week now with no real results so far. I have done everything proactive to keep her from licking and scratching - keeping little booties on her feet, having her wear a "cone of shame", baths every other day, with prescription shampoo and leave in conditioner with 1% Pramoxine and 1% Diphenhydromine. Today I had her to our groomer and had her shaved. It hurt to see her beautiful white coat cut completely off but in the loth ng run I wanted it off to give her relief.

Once I got her home I noticed she has a slight black rash all over the most common itching areas and inside her ears. Her little vulva is also dark brown and she is licking her paws without abandon; the feet are turning black after being red, then brown and now dark brown. She is biting right above her tail on the top of her back and it too has become red. Her beard is reddish brown. The rest of my beautiful Samantha is a snowy white where she can't reach to itch. when I first took her to her vet, her skin which is usually a very soft pink was almost a bloody heated sunburned color. She is on Confortis for fleas and so fleas are not the issue. I have been feeding her Science Diet Mature formula for Toy and Small Breeds and she was on it prior to my adopting her with her former owner, so we have ruled out food allergies. We do not feed her cheap doggie treats, she gets fresh fruits and vegetables as treats and she gets fresh spring water daily. I am concerned that she is suffering some kind of yeast infection that is not being affected by the steriods. Are there any homeopathic treatments I can try for the possible yeast infections? I really love this sweet little girl. I hate watching her suffer and I am suffering watching her and unable to help her. Any help would be appreciated!
 
i only read the first post so sorry if anyone has said this but dogs have sweat glands in their paws, my dog constantly looks as if he's scratching the floor but he's just putting his scent about, your dog might just be licking it cos its warm & he's a wee sweaty betty xx
 
Aww poor doggie try bathing with oatmeal in cold water. It takes the itch out and is safe. Hth
 
I know this is an old thread but I thought I'd reply to gaylabruce. Have you thought about the BARF diet? It means bones and raw foods. Have a look at this link Raw feeding - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia or if you google it you should get lots of info.

I don't believe that commercial dog food is what is best for our animals, I know many will disagree. However just from personal experience I have found a raw, non processed diet to be best. I've had dogs all my life and many have had skin disorders. Some went away with treatment, others became chronic. Since moving to a BARF diet I have NEVER had a livelier, healthier dog with such a beautiful coat and never ever poorly.

Dogs do not digest food in the same way we do. Humans are exceptionally good at digesting carbohydrates, dogs aren't. They get the most energy from fat and protein. So any dog food with a starchy ingredient first on the list is going to take them aaaagges to digest. Also, think about how much the ingredients must be cooked in order to make the dry biscuits? Cooking something that much destroys natural vitamin content, I imagine they then inject vitamins back in. Its a bit like taking a vitamin supplement and saying its better than eating veg :D

I know that cost is an issue for a lot of people. I think that if you are already feeding Hill Science Diet then it is probably already costing a lot! I used to buy a premium feed and found that my bill went down when I switched to BARF. You can bulk buy, go for offers or get friendly with your local butcher who might put bones aside for you for free :)

Think about it and if you want to have a chat about barf feeding just message me, its something I've become very passionate about! And to think I used to secretly laugh at the older generations I knew who fed their dogs scraps and bones, when I discovered the truth for myself I started eating humble pie!

Air x
 
Sorry, I havent read all the replies.

If the skin isnt red raw, you could try bitter apple spray, bit like nail polish that tastes horrible to stop you biting your nails, this stops them from licking.

Anti histamines? You should always take advice from the vet, but dogs can have piriton, but do speak to them before just giving it to them

Westies are prone to skin problems though.

James wellbeloved, is a great food for skin problems.

Hope you get it sorted. xx
 

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