pink foot pads and allergies

[smallpiper]

I have heard that boxers with pink pads on their feet are more allergic than dogs with black pads.  What is your experience?  Who has allergies, and what color are your pads?  Also, Who has a foot licking habit (besides Hanna)?

[butler]

bo has pink feet, except for one that has a black spot, and so far no allergies (knock on wood). i had never heard that befor, but it will be interesting to see what other people have to say

[gallagher]

Ive never heard that before - Jess also licks feet and I cant bear it I'm too ticklish.

[smallpiper]

Yes, Hanna will like our feet if given the chance, but what i meant was she licks her own feet.  Too much. She irritates them.

[Tysons Chris]

tyson has pink pads, with one black spot, and he has HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE allergies...to what is the real question though...

[BuddyBoy]

For those with what appear to be allergy issues, do some research on yeast infections... you might save yourself and your pup a lot of time and irritation. Paw licking is one of the signs of systemic yeast infections. Sometimes the bodies response to the yeast infection can also set off false positives on the allergy tests. Just something to consider. Good luck! 

[smallpiper]

Hanna is currently on a course of antibiotics for this foot irritation.  When it gets over, soon it comes back.... 

[Stephanie]

Here's a link on yeast/fungal infections: http://www.pet-supplies-review.com/dog-yeast-infection.html  Look at diet as well.  Lots of times, foot licking is due to allergies caused by diet.  You could try using aloe vera or calendula - both are natural products that are anti-bacterial & anti fungal, calendula is anti inflammatory too.

Ruby has pink pads with a few black spots on them, Roddy has black pads, thank goodness neither of them show any signs of allergies.  Jakey my poor old collie cross has numerous allergy issues - and like Hanna he would lick his feet as well.   We deal with it by showering him down and rinsing his feet after every walk as he is grass allergic.  This combined with a specific diet and a range of herbal medications is working for him.

[smallpiper]

Hanna usually licks only one foot in particular, the right rear foot.  We have been rinseing it in warm water with a little peroxide in. Washing it before bed with a mild doggie shampoo and rinseing it again.  I will try the baking soda rinse instead, next.  funny, its always the same foot.  the vet saw a little irritation, and said it was a yeast infection. but her ears and other feet are fine. I hav also used a little hydrocortisone cream between her pads, where the irritation usually seems to be.   there is no odor from any feet or ears.  I did "book-mark" that information for further reference.  Thanks again for giving the link. 

[smallpiper]

Stephanie, Do you think a little yogurt added to her diet would help?   to equalize the gut.

[Stephanie]

There is no harm in trying it Smallpiper, but I think I would look at her diet - have you changed her diet recently or been giving her new treats or is this a long standing problem?  Have you tried washing her foot with a mixture of apple cider vinegar/water 50:50? Jakey has regular ear baths with this combination to avoid yeast infections, and touch wood he has been clear of them now for some months.  Poor Hanna, I sure hope something works for her.

[smallpiper]

its been ongoing since we got her, well it is sort of an intermittent problem. It comes and goes.   I dont think it has ever been cleared up entirely.....   I will try the vinegar / water rinse.   I have been feeding her the same food but its 3 different kinds, buffalo blue -fish and sweet pototoes, buffalo blue- lamb and rice, natures recipe - chicken and rice. I sort of mix them a little bit. This is what they were feeding when I got her.  One of the dogs in the foster situation had all fish diet, and they mixed some in with hers too.  they said it made for better digestion and smaller poops.   Her Treats are Newman's Own, Talk to Me- cheese flavor, and Milk Bone for small dogs.

[blueskies]

My Boxer bella has white/pink pads and she licks her ankle part of the foot. I think it is just a habit because she doesn't chew her pads or lick like it itches her. No pink around the area either.

 If you let her she would lick a person raw too. So at least in my Boxer I think it is one of those habits. She is a very aggressive chewer too.

[Stephanie]

its been ongoing since we got her, well it is sort of an intermittent problem. It comes and goes.   I dont think it has ever been cleared up entirely.....   I will try the vinegar / water rinse.   I have been feeding her the same food but its 3 different kinds, buffalo blue -fish and sweet pototoes, buffalo blue- lamb and rice, natures recipe - chicken and rice. I sort of mix them a little bit. This is what they were feeding when I got her.  One of the dogs in the foster situation had all fish diet, and they mixed some in with hers too.  they said it made for better digestion and smaller poops.   Her Treats are Newman's Own, Talk to Me- cheese flavor, and Milk Bone for small dogs.

Very interesting that it is intermittent, you could try keeping a food diary and see if you find a pattern - does it flare up with one particular type of food over the other?  Most allergy type cases are dealt with through elimination diets - sticking to one type of  food for a couple of months and then slowly adding different foods back to see if it causes a reaction.