My dog is still itchy. What causes paw licking and face rubbing?

Question

Hello. I have a 2year old, female maltipoo. She is licking her paws and rubs her face in the carpet a few time during the day and evening. I do know that her eating chicken bothers her more. I have cut chicken out of her diet for months now but, the itching and rubbing are still happening. I do wash her paws after she has been outside. I would love to get a remedy to help her feel better. Thank you. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 22 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Winnie! It does sound like her face and paws are quite itchy. The most common causes of itching in these areas are food allergies, and environmental allergies. If she has food allergies, it's possible that switching her to a prescription hypoallergenic diet like Hills z/d or Purina HA may help, or even an over-the-counter limited ingredient diet if you prefer. For environmental allergies, prescription medication such as prednisone, Atopica, or Apoquel is typically needed to provide any significant relief. Allergy testing along with hyposensitization injections may also be an option for her, so you could speak to your veterinarian about this if interested. In terms of home remedies, there isn't much else that's likely to help - wiping her down with a wet washcloth each time she comes in from being outside can sometimes help, but it sounds like you're already doing this. So I would say the next step would be a vet visit to discuss options for diagnostics and/or prescription treatment options.

My dog is still itchy. What causes paw licking and face rubbing?

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