Dog Licking Paws: Natural Remedies

Raw paws are often the red flags of allergies. Natural remedies provide an alternative to such conventional treatments as antihistamines.

Paw licking is a classic sign of allergies and it’s likely your dog is allergic to many allergens in the environment.

Conventional treatments include antihistamines, which won’t work for most pets, and corticosteroids, which have short-term such side effects as mood changes and increased thirst and urination.

Natural remedies include:

• High doses of fish oil
• Antioxidants
• Chinese herbs, particularly Xiao Skin Allergy Support
• Olive-leaf extract
• Frequent bathing with natural shampoos containing lavender and lemongrass

The original version of this column, “The Natural Vet” by Shawn Messonnier, DVM, was published in AKC Family Dog.