A reader wrote in with a question about paw chewing. He said that his dog is a Blue Merle Sheltie, but that her paws are red and that the dog is chewing them. The reader has taken their dog to several veterinary practices who have prescribed anything from antibiotics to painkillers, but have said that the chewing is due to allergies. The dog is now eating raw meat and PET Plus and attending a homeopathic vet, but her paws are still red raw. What further can be done?
Dr. Susanna responded as follows.
Raw Food And PET Plus Is Good
Congratulations on feeding her raw food. That’s a huge step in the right direction. Adding PET Plus to that will also help enormously as the ingredients all contribute to the body’s ability to heal and repair.
Toxins Getting Stuck In Paw Fur
So when did this start? I’m sure (I hope) that you have thought about what she walked on immediately before her paws became so sore. It’s often associated with walking on grass / fields / crops / pavements that have recently been sprayed with something noxious.
Also, at this time of year, (the winter) the amount of salt they spread all over roads and pavements is astonishing. This is very irritating to the paws, especially in Shelties and other breeds with furry paws. The salt and other toxins get stuck in the fur and provide a constant source of irritation.
Wash Feet And Use Aloe Vera
So first of all you need to wash her feet in water whenever she has been outside to remove the salt and chemicals. Pat them dry. Then rub in some aloe vera gel. If you have aloe vera plants, cut off a part of a leaf, remove the gel from the leaf and rub it thoroughly into her paws.
Do this as many times every day as you can, like 6 times if possible. She will lick it off, but much will have been absorbed, so keep rubbing it in for as long as you can! If you don’t have the plants, you can easily buy aloe vera gel from health food shops, or online. Aloe Propolis Creme from FLP is excellent as long as she is not sensitive to lanolin.
My family and friends call it magic cream! You could also give her Aloe Vera by mouth. I use this brand. It is clean, chemical free and natural, comes in glass bottles too.
Aloe Vera is an adaptogen, so works best if you put it on the sore areas and give it by mouth, so healing her from inside and outside. For her, I’d suggest you give her 5 mls by mouth 6 times daily. Keep doing this until a week after all symptoms have gone, gradually reducing the frequency of application and dosing of Aloe Vera.
Around The House
Avoid contact with any household chemicals, so use only natural products. Make sure her bedding is natural (organic and unbleached if possible) cotton. Make sure her drinking water is chemical free, so filtered and replaced, fresh every day. Avoid exposure to EMFs by turning off all electrical equipment at the wall when not actually in use. This is especially important for the WiFi router / modem, mobile phones, laptops and cordless phones.
You can buy or make little booties to protect her feet from the cold and the chemicals, but be sure to keep them clean! Line them with cotton. Please feel free to ask for more advice if you need it. I hope this helps you.