Dog's paw pads black, nails brown, chewing feet. Yeast infection?

Question

My three year old dog normally has bright pink paw pads and pink/white nails. Within the last month her nails are turning brown and her paw pads are turning black. She is also chewing at her feet and nails frequently. At first I thought it was due to aging and/or her digging habit causing dirt to get trapped under the nails, but it doesn't seem to get any better despite regular baths and nail clipping. Is this normal? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 55 lbs

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

A common cause for color change on the feet of dogs is from a yeast infection. Yeast can grow on the skin around the nails and between paw pads and is very itchy. The dog then licks and chews the area which will also cause saliva staining, which turns the hair a reddish-brown color. The most common cause of a yeast infection on the feet of dogs is allergies. Allergies could be to a food protein, the environment, or fleas. Other less common causes of the issues you have described would be bacterial infection or immune-mediated disease. I recommend that Hadley be checked by a vet so that the appropriate medications or allergy treatments can be used. While you are waiting for the appointemnt, you can try using a pet product that contains chlorhexidine (an antibacterial agent) and ketoconazole (an antifungal/antiyeast agent) to treat topical infections. I like this one: Mal-a-ket Shampoo Formulated for Dogs.

Dog's paw pads black, nails brown, chewing feet. Yeast infection?

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