Excessive paw licking

Hi,

As Kikaah says, collagen and probiotics can sometimes help some dogs by supporting their skin or microbiome, but if your dog is licking their paw until it’s raw, the most important thing is to find the root cause of the issue (allergy, infection, foreign body, joint pain, behavioural problem...).

The fact that the Apoquel didn’t work doesn’t necessarily mean the problem isn’t allergy-related: this medication often relieves itching, but it doesn’t treat the underlying cause and doesn’t work for every dog.

If I were you, I’d head back to the vet or ask for a specialist opinion in veterinary dermatology before spending any more money on supplements.

In the meantime, I’d recommend stopping them from licking to avoid aggravating the wound, as this often creates a vicious cycle that prevents healing.

Good luck,

Maëlla

I’d say that first things first, you need to find out why he’s scratching. It could definitely be a digestive issue, but it could also be an allergy, or even a behavioural thing... you could always try some probiotics. They won't do any harm if they don't help, but before you start buying things, it might be better to look into the cause a bit more.