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Message
OT Vets- Dog licking and scratching- Yeast, food, probiotics, topicals
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:35 am
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:35 am
80 lb Yellow lab has been licking paws, dragging butt on the carpet, and scratching. It appears that this is an issue of a yeast infection.
We have tried all different "scientific $$" foods through elimination except the homemade natural food route. The vet wants to put her on Apoquel or some injection, but I am certain the problem can be fixed with diet or probiotics.
When searching for remedies, there are many products and lots of ads coming my way. Before I start making my own dog food, is there any probiotic or supplement you have tried that actually works?
Here for any other tips. TIA
We have tried all different "scientific $$" foods through elimination except the homemade natural food route. The vet wants to put her on Apoquel or some injection, but I am certain the problem can be fixed with diet or probiotics.
When searching for remedies, there are many products and lots of ads coming my way. Before I start making my own dog food, is there any probiotic or supplement you have tried that actually works?
Here for any other tips. TIA
17
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:41 am to Motorboat
Apoquel will definitely help. I have yet to find any supplements (Dog is Human, Pet Labs, Dinovite, etc.) that are marketed via social media that helps with paw licking. Fish oil capsules helped slightly with scratching, but a high(er) quality dog food has been the biggest help.
This post was edited on 8/22/25 at 9:46 am
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:47 am to Motorboat
Literally just got home from getting my GSD the shot. She’s had the shot multiple times and it always alleviates her scratching and paw licking
We too have tried changing her food/diet, giving her supplements and home made remedies. I have not seen any changes while attempting anything other than the shot.
We too have tried changing her food/diet, giving her supplements and home made remedies. I have not seen any changes while attempting anything other than the shot.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:49 am to slidingstop
quote:
high(er) quality dog food has been the biggest help.
We have tried every iteration of Hill's Pet Nutrition. I do not know the next step in food quality. I think Farmer's dog and the likes are going to be high as hell and that I cna probably make my own food for less.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:49 am to Motorboat
quote:
It appears that this is an issue of a yeast infection.
quote:
The vet wants to put her on Apoquel or some injection, but I am certain the problem can be fixed with diet or probiotics.
Cool. What Vet school did you go to?
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:50 am to More beer please
quote:
Cool. What Vet school did you go to?
frick off. I am trying to find out more information rather than simply accepting a pharmaceutical option.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:53 am to Motorboat
My Aunt and Uncle's dog has had allergies his whole life (10 yr old labradoodle). They recently got one of his teeth pulled that was bothering him and changed to the Farmer's dog. Since then he has no itching. Aunt says it was the tooth, Uncle says its the new food and tooth. Who knows, but the combo seems to have really helped him. Just ordered Farmers dog for my dog, hopefully will have similar results for him because he's been itching more this summer too.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:55 am to Motorboat
I suggest scheduling with a veterinary dermatologist to help diagnosis the underlying issue.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:56 am to Motorboat
Possible chicken allergy? Our GR has that. Pretty annoying because most food and snacks have chicken or other derivative in it.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:57 am to Motorboat
It's almost certainly allergies that are the root cause. They make topical ointments to work on the symptoms, but you're not going to get permanent relief until you put the dog on allergy meds and or remove contact with the allergen that the dog is coming into contact with on a regular basis. If you're in Louisiana there's all kinds of pollen, stickers, plants that your dog steps on even just going to the bathroom in the grass.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:59 am to Havoc
quote:
Possible chicken allergy?
Possibly but we eliminated chicken food and it persists.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 10:03 am to Motorboat
This may not work for every dog but it worked for us so I wanted to share. Our dog (lab/pointer mix) has allergies from August to January … no idea what seasonal flower causes it but nonetheless, we changed food, did steroids, cytopoint, apoquel with not much improvement. He was losing hair his feet were infected so antibiotics etc. We started him on Prozac about a year and a half ago because he didn’t adjust well to new baby (very anxious) and while it didn’t resolve his allergies/itching, it resolved the constant licking and subsequent yeast so it’s now manageable with cytopoint. Not losing hair not getting skin infections. Vet said she thought it might help with the licking, I was skeptical but she was right.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 10:15 am to Motorboat
quote:
We have tried every iteration of Hill's Pet Nutrition. I do not know the next step in food quality. I think Farmer's dog and the likes are going to be high as hell and that I cna probably make my own food for less.
I'm not throwing shade at your food choices. We put the Frenchies on Iams lamb and rice while the outside dogs eat dog chow. Too many to feed to buy Farmers Dog or some premium dog food for all of them. Making your own wont be cheap. But if its only 1 dog, its probably doable. Just beware of all the raw diet shite. That has its drawbacks too.
As you would guess, the outside dogs are all mutts that suffer no maladies of any sort. The high dollar Frenchie's have allergies.
But I wouldn't trade any of them for the world.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 10:15 am to Motorboat
quote:
80 lb Yellow lab has been licking paws, dragging butt on the carpet, and scratching. It appears that this is an issue of a yeast infection.
I have a 90+ german shepard 2yrs old and have not had licking or scratching issues yet. The only food he's eaten is Hill's Science Diet twice a day. Table scraps are minimal(sometimes scambled egg debris scraped from the pan or steak/ roast fat/ grissel on top his food).
Posted on 8/22/25 at 10:19 am to More beer please
Apoquel was great for my last dog with allergies. Never had any issue from it. Off brand monistat helped with some of the tougher yeast areas in the armpit region.
Op, listen to your vet
Posted on 8/22/25 at 10:19 am to Motorboat
quote:
Here for any other tips. TIA
We do cytopoint injections every 6 weeks for our dog, and since starting on that, he doesn't chew his paws anymore.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 10:20 am to Motorboat
I had to get a blood panel for my dog to figure out the cause. It turned out a lot of dog foods contained things that triggered allergies. But we got it narrowed down and solved the problem.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 10:23 am to Aspercel
I give my 80 pound border Collie mix the Apoquel pills. I order them from Chewy because it's cheaper than getting them through the vet. Still need a prescription though.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 10:25 am to Motorboat
quote:
I am trying to find out more information rather than simply accepting a pharmaceutical option.
Sure thats fine. Maybe ask your vet that question then. The problem is that the solution may be getting cytopoint as they recommend. They do that for a reason, because it works.
Unless you see a specialist you would just be guessing as to the cause of the itchiness. It could be environmental allergies, flea dermatitis, food allergies, etc.
If you dont treat it, that lab is going to get hot spots which suck.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 10:45 am to Motorboat
We’ve had similar issues with our mutt.
Vet told us to eliminate beef, wheat, and dairy, and be careful not to buy dog foods with chelated copper. A lot of them apparently have this as an added ingredient, even some of the high dollar science diet types
It has helped him quite a bit skin/allergy/coat wise.
Vet told us to eliminate beef, wheat, and dairy, and be careful not to buy dog foods with chelated copper. A lot of them apparently have this as an added ingredient, even some of the high dollar science diet types
It has helped him quite a bit skin/allergy/coat wise.
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