Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 9/6/2010

Question
Hello,

My dog is a 2yr old, 7lb, Jack Russel/Corgy mix.  For the past 1 to 2 months he has been gnawing and licking at his (mostly front) paws and seems to be troubled by them and they appear to be reddened.  He had been licking his belly constantly but we seemed to have quelled that with an oatmeal bath and a few doses of benadryl.

We would love some input.

Answer
Licking the paws and belly are signs of allergic dermatitis. Benadryl will not help, but a 2 week treatment with steroids may give the dog some relief. Some dogs with red feet have a yeast infection between the toes that causes more itching than the allergies.