Help for itchy dog gnawing on paws

Category: Dogs

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Help for itchy dog gnawing on paws

Updated Dec 8, 2024

Dear Cathy,

My ten-year-old dog gnaws occasionally on places on his front legs that end up looking bare of hair and inflamed. How do I treat that?

– Ann Railsback Pitts, Moyock, North Carolina

Dear Ann,

Dogs chew on themselves because they itch, either from fleas, allergies, or even a habit formed by anxiety or boredom. That means flea preventatives, and allergy and anxiety medications can help some dogs. But dogs itch so much, there is now a new monthly- injectable that stops their itch for up to a month. Talk to your veterinarian about it.

Regardless of the reason, you will need to treat the hot spots – the irritated skin lesions that result from repetitive biting, chewing, licking and scratching. You can find hydrocortisone sprays and other healing creams online and at pet stores. If that doesn’t work, your veterinarian can prescribe something stronger.

Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to moc.tidnuptepobfsctd-96d924@yhtac. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal

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Cathy Rosenthal (aka The Pet Pundit), CHES, CFE

Animal Welfare Communications Strategist, Writer & Educator

Cathy M. Rosenthal is an award-winning humane educator and author, animal welfare strategist, pet columnist, and speaker who has spent more than 38 years working in animal welfare with local and national humane organizations. She helps people better understand and care for animals through her nationally syndicated My Pet World column and has been the longtime pet columnist for the San Antonio Express-News since 2003.

In addition to her writing, Cathy develops humane education, leadership, customer service, and compassion fatigue training programs for animal welfare organizations nationwide, and has helped raise millions of dollars through grant writing, strategic communications, and program development.

Cathy is the editor and curator of Humane Perspectives: Leadership in Animal Welfare and is the author of several books, including Grant Writing Boot Camp for Animal Advocates, The Lucky Tale of Two Dogs, and The Happy Tale of Two Cats, which was the 2026 winner of the Association of Professional Humane Educators’ (APHE) "Educator’s Choice Award" for Best Humane Education Book for Young Children. She also received the 2026 APHE Nathania Gartman Heroes Award for Impact in Humane Education. Her humane education programs in Texas have reached more than 45,000 elementary school children since 2019.

She resides in Texas with her husband, their cat Sterling, and a former community cat, Maddie, who successfully negotiated an indoor living arrangement but still considers human affection highly negotiable.