Dog licking/biting paws...what is the best thing to do?

Question
QUESTION: Hi.  I have a pretty desperate situation.  My family has a 5 year old chocolate lab who has been constantly licking and biting his paws for about 4 years now.  He will do it for hours at a time, and will bite them to the point that they bleed.  I know that it's terrible that he's suffered this long and has gotten no medical attention.  When I was younger and this had first started, I knew my parents were wrong for just letting this go on and I tried to tell them to take him to the vet.  But my mom has convinced herself that the dog only does this because he's bored and won't even ask the vet about it.  She even takes him for his check-ups but doesn't even bring up the paws when she's there.  Now, I know dogs can lick when they're bored, but I'm quite sure they don't gnaw on their feet and make them bleed as a form of entertainment.  But anyway, it gets even worse.  Not only do my parents just let him suffer, they also get mad at him when he licks/bites.  My mom thinks that the sound of him licking is annoying and irritating, and my dad always tries to stop him just because he knows my mom doesn't like it.  My mom literally bullies this dog; she just yells at him all the time to stop, walks over to him and steps on his feet so he can't lick (which has ended with her getting nipped, and then she got SO mad that the dog dared to bite her), or will even smack him, she doesn't beat him or injure him but she still hits him and it's for the stupidest reason ever.  But, 4 years later, the dog still hasn't stopped after all the yelling and smacking, yet my parents can't figure that out.  My mom is just always getting in ridiculous power struggles with a dog, when this all could really be so simple.

So anyway, now that I am older, I have decided that I can and will take care of this dog and get him the help he needs.  I now have my driver's license, and I had a temporary seasonal job over the holidays and made some money.  I had planned on taking him to the vet so they could test him for allergies, but I e-mailed the vet's office first to see how much it would cost.  Unfortunately, they said the testing would cost about $325, plus there would be a $48 fee for the appointment and I'd probably have to spend more for medication/treatment for his paws.  I'm probably about $100 or more short.  I'm trying to save money the best I can and am trying to find another job, but it's very hard to find one in this economy.  I know I can help this dog eventually, but the more I see the dog biting his paws and bleeding, and the more I have to listen to my mom fighting with the dog, the more I know that this CAN'T wait.  I feel like I need to get him help immediately, and the fact that it will probably be at least another month before I'll have enough money is depressing.

But I have also heard that dogs often have allergies to their food.  Would it help to just change his food, or should I take him to the vet to find out for sure?  Because I have heard that if a dog has food containing things like wheat or corn, that's often the problem so switching their food will help.  But I'm not sure if that's the problem or if switching the food would be the best thing to do.  I am also not sure what is in the food my dog is currently eating, because we don't buy it from the store.  My parents order it from somewhere and a man comes to our house to refill the bin that we store his food in whenever we need more.  I will have to try to find a way to get information about the food.

So should I take the food approach, or just stick with the vet?  I really wish there were a way to get to the vet now and not have to wait any longer.  I am leaving for college this summer and I absolutely have to get this fixed before I go, because I am NOT leaving my dog behind with my parents in this condition and letting them do this to him forever.

ANSWER: Wow Hannah. This is really a sad situation. I am sure that you realize that what your mom is doing is considered abuse and animal cruelty is a felony charge. Not taking the dog to get medical care is also considered neglect and can result in a hefty fine and a misdemeanor violation.

But aside from the legalities, it is just plain cruel and wrong. Your dog has a disorder much like someone with OCD, or Obsessive Compulsion disorder. The problem is, that many thing can start this condition, but after a while it becomes a habit and a compulsion and the dog simply cannot stop. Yes, allergies can cause this. Yes, food allergies can cause it. Nerve pain is a cause and so is arthritis in the legs. The problem is that it is very hard to know what the true cause is, but that shouldn't stop you from at least getting him treated.

Now if your mom has been taking him for his check ups, how is it that the vet cannot see this is going on, especially of his poor paws are bleeding? Someone (the vet that is) needs to look closer!!

If I were you, I would make an appointment and just have the vet look him over and maybe do some blood work, but not the allergy testing. You should find out what food he is on as well, and make the move to a hypoallergenic food for him. That would be smarter to start with then spending all that money on allergy testing. Elimination diets are cheaper and you might find the cause right away. Wheat is one of the largest allergens in food, followed by beef,  pork, chicken, and soy. Corn is rarely an allergen even though many think that it is. Usually it is something other than corn causing the allergen.

In the meantime, the vet can treat him with some steroids to calm the inflammation in his feet and some creams to soothe them as well. Using an E-collar helps while you are not home to keep him from licking them. Yes they are funny looking and he can knock things over, but they really help a lot. There are some made that are not so huge, but are more like a collar that is stiff and keeps him from bending his neck to lick his feet. He can eat and drink with these on.
So that is what I would do first Hannah. I understand your concern about this situation and you are correct in being upset about it. Congratulations on getting your license and heading to college. I applaud you for making a stand for this dog as well. We, as vet techs, are animal advocates. We stand up for the pets when they cannot.

So start with the visit to your vets and write down what the vet tells you. Ask to do things one at a time due to cost. Get some immediate relief for him and then the long term will come with time. It doesn't stop overnight just like it didn't start overnight. I would ask your dad to help with the cost as well since he seems to be on the dogs side. I know it doesn't sound like it, but he tries to stop your Mom from hurting the dog by stopping the dog. That is a good thing.

So call the vet and please keep me posted on what happens. You have a very compassionate heart - this is a great trait and you will go far in life with it. I hope your dog can get some relief soon.
Here is an article to read on this problem:

http://www.peteducation.com/article_print.cfm?c=2+2111&aid=423
and another one:
http://www.petplace.com/article-printer-friendly.aspx?id=517


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you SO much for your advice!  I really appreciate it.  I've also wondered why the vet has never noticed, but, his paws aren't bleeding all the time, just at the times that they're really bothering him and he's been licking a lot, I guess.  I have really struggled to understand why my mom is doing this.  She never hits ME if she thinks I make an annoying noise, and also, even though I probably made it sound like she hates the dog, she actually loves him and is nice to him at other times, when he isn't licking his paws.  We had another dog before this one as well, and she was always fine with him, but, I don't recall him ever having the paw-licking problem.  She'll seek medical attention for any other problem he has, so I really don't understand why she dismisses something like this and keeps letting the dog suffer.  She's definitely shown a side of her that I never would have thought existed.  But hopefully, I will get the dog treated, and when the problem is solved and he stops licking, she will realize how many years she wasted yelling and mistreating the dog.  I have so much anger towards her for what she's done to the dog, and also to me, by hurting something I love and never even listening to me or taking my feelings into consideration when I told her he should go to the vet and she needed to stop hitting him.  But I am more able to focus on just getting the dog better now.  And getting to prove her wrong will be a wonderful feeling. :-)

Anyway, I thankfully found a vet in my area that is a little cheaper than my dog's regular vet.  I e-mailed them about it, and like you, they suggested just taking him in for an exam first, before doing the allergy testing.  I am so happy, because I now have an appointment scheduled!  I'll be taking him Thursday.  I'm just so relieved that I'm finally taking the steps towards helping my dog finally get better.  I have just felt so hopeless for all these years because I felt like there was nothing I could do, but it's finally starting to work out.  But I had one question about this.  Since this is a vet that the dog has never been to before, what information will they need?  They told me to either call them or just wait until I get there for the appointment to give them the info.  I'm just wondering what kind of information they'll need about my dog.  Will they ask about his medical history?  That would be a problem because I really don't know his history, since my mom was always the one taking him to the vet.

Thanks again for your help!

Answer
HI Hannah,
Wow I have to applaud you for your very mature attitude toward the whole dog treatment issue. Maybe your mom is convinced that the dog does this licking/chewing just to bug her somehow- which of course isn't true.

The new vet will need his medical records so you are going to have to ask the old vet for a copy of them. You have the right to get them for free so don't let them tell otherwise.

There is no reason why they can't give the information to you, even if your mom was always bringing in the dog. Does your Mom know that you are taking him to a new vet?

Remember that licking can prove to be a physical problem with a behavioral component to it, so don't be too quick about wanting to 'prove her wrong.'

Take care and let me know what you find out at the new vets.