Foot Fetish

Have you had it with your dog licking her paws non-stop? Are you going crazy watching your cat pull at her toe nails?

If you are uncomfortable with your pet's foot fetish, imagine how your pet feels!

Compulsive licking and chewing of the paws is a common problem for our pets but it shouldn't be considered normal.

There can be many causes:

Allergies: ingestion of a food, contact with grasses or plants and inhalation of pollens are common causes of itchy skin (especially at this time of the year)

Parasites: mites can burrow in to the skin and cause irritation and flea bites can cause generalised itching

Boredom: just as people with anxiety might bite their nails, our pets can develop a physical response to psychological stress - some pets will develop an obsessive-compulsive disorder

Hormonal imbalances: thyroid disease and adrenal disease can lead to superficial skin infections and itchy skin

Pain: licking to relieve pain caused by arthritis or the presence of a foreign body such as a grass seed

If your pet has an itch a consultation with us is essential to help improve their comfort levels - we can do many things to help them feel better.