Why is my dog constantly chewing his paws? Pads are red, nails brown.

Question

My dog chews on his feet constantly and the bottom of his pads are red. His nails are also turning brownish. I have tried giving him Epsom salt baths to sooth his paws and it worked at first but doesn't anymore. Pet's info: Dog | Chinese Shar-Pei | Male | unneutered | 11 months and 3 days old | 55 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Bjorn! It sounds like he may have allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or even some type of mange - these are all common causes of excessive itching and redness affecting the paws. Epsom salt baths were a very reasonable thing to try - but since they aren't helping anymore, I'm afraid it's definitely time for a vet visit. Your vet can do some simple skin tests to help determine what is causing the redness and itching, and will prescribe appropriate medication to treat the problem depending on what is found.

Why is my dog constantly chewing his paws? Pads are red, nails brown.

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