Help with allergies and my JRT

Question
Hello Carol,
Please help! My 2 year old Jack Russell Terrior, Lucy is constantly chewing on her feet and in between the pads of her paws. I have checked for any little splinter or scratch but she seems to chew on them so frequently she has chewed all the hair off all 4 of her paws. I took her to the vet and she was given an allergy shot. How can I give any relief to my dog? I feel so bad, Ive tried everything from changing her shampoo, wiping her paws when she comes in from outside, basically carry her when I take her with me. Please help my little long legged Lucy. :) All she wants is some relief.

Thanks,
Susan

Answer
Susan,
I'm sorry Lucy has allergies - unfortunately it is an all-too-common trait in Jack Russells. They can be fine from puppies and then all of a sudden develop allergies to things. They haven't found an exact cure yet but you can help keep her more comfortable by trying to find the cause (USUALLY wheat or beef in food) or grass, weeds, or some other thing she comes in contact with. It could be the laundry detergent you use, it could be something in the carpet or it could be mold from outside. It could be any number of things. :(  It's tough to find the cause and takes lots of work and commitment by eliminating one thing at a time to find out what the allergen is, but it can be done. There is also allergy testing you can have done with the vet but it can be quite expensive.
There are many over the counter meds as well as prescriptions that can make her scratching and itching less irritating but it's really important to find the cause and eliminate it from her diet/life to ultimately improve the quality of her life. Many Jacks live with allergies; it's more heartbreaking to us than it is to them, and I know how upset you must feel. Take her to the vet for an official diagnosis and they will give you something to get rid of the itching. Best of luck with Lucy!