sheltie-paw licking

Question
Hi,  I have a sheltie who is 5 years old.  He seems to have started a bad habit of licking /chewing his paws and elbow.  So much licking that it causes the paws to become wet and starts to bleed.  

how can I stop the habit?  Or is somethng wrong?  i put a gauard around his neck to stop him from licking/chewing but he seems miserable.

Please help!

thanks
Jackie

Answer
Jackie,

This is definitely a question to take to your vet.  

What you are seeing can be from a number of different sources.  It can be as simple as boredom.  It can be as complex as depression.  It can be treated if it is mange.

The good news is (I sound like a drug commercial) you can go to the vet with the symptoms and get help.

Dave