My dog is shedding, has dry skin, and chews her paws. What's wrong?

Question

My dog is a one year old female golden retriever lab mix she has not been fixed. She is shedding hair more than the normal amount of shedding, her skin is dry, she is chewing at her paws. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | unspayed | 1 year and 2 months old | 65 lbs

Elva Ma DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question. Possible causes for Millie's symptoms include skin allergies, skin parasites (mites, fleas), bacterial infection or fungal infection, or a combination of these. Was there any new food or treat introduced prior to these problems starting? If so, I would start by eliminating this. You can also try soaking Millie's feet in a shallow bath of Epsom salts and lukewarm water, to help provide some relief. Bathing her with a gentle aloe and oatmeal type shampoo may help to wash off any surface allergens causing irritation. If she is chewing or biting at her skin or paws, you wil need to put an e-collar (cone) on her head to prevent further damage. If these suggestions do not help, I would recommend taking Millie to the vet. They can perform tests to check the underlying cause, such as a skin scraping, skin cytology or fungal culture. At minimum, they can prescribe medications to help with her itchiness and treat suspected bacterial infections. I hope this helps, and that Millie is feeling better soon!

My dog is shedding, has dry skin, and chews her paws. What's wrong?

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