Licking paws

[JennieC]

Hello
Our dog Banjo is almost 6 years old, is a Corgi/ Red Heeler mix and we took over his care about a year ago. He was always kibble fed and I have been working to transition him over to raw for about 6 months. He is almost off of all kibble (I use the honest kitchen turkey) and give him raw turkey with some vegetables , blueberries and celery juice. He is extremely sensitive with his diet and it has been difficult to adjust to this without him throwing up or getting diarrhea. He came from a home that was abusive and he is very skittish, jumpy and does bite if he feels threatened. He will bark like crazy at anyone who comes to the door and has bitten a friend that simply came into the house. He seems to have calmed down some the longer he has been here, but still shows signs of aggression and barking as the "guardian " of the house is how I perceive it. He was routinely vaccinated before coming here. He is a very loving dog to mostly Me and follows me around everywhere. He has tons and tons of energy and loves to go for walks and I will take him to the dog park where we do simple things like jumping through the hoops, etc. For about 2 weeks now he has been licking his paws excessively non stop. His paws are not red or inflamed or have any sores on them. It is not something that stops him from normal activity. He also has been scratching quite a bit on his belly which I saw when we started to change his diet. I noticed that the skin on his belly has turned darker, almost black.
His BEAM is excellent it is just these things that we struggle with. I read a thread of a dog with something similar in which thuja was suggested. Upon looking at quite a few remedies it seems so many would fit to work with him, however I am trying to just concentrate on the licking and diet right now.
I am wondering if I should change him to some cooked foods . I have looked at the recipes that are available as well. I don't know if that would be takin a step back from raw but perhaps the raw is too much right now? Banjo has not been to the vet as its very difficult to take him since he is so aggressive and he does not do well there. (he was my sons fathers dog so my son is who brought him to us).
I would love some tips on the diet and possible homeopathy for the licking if possible. thank you

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Fantastic that you are helping Banjo have a great life, Jennie.

Yes, focus on exercise and foods now.

Especially fermented foods and probiotics.

Try Answer's fermented goat's milk.

Start with 1/4 cup 2-3x a day.

 

[JennieC]

hello again,
Since my last post, Banjo had gotten worse. I had given him a small amount of spirulina for a few days which seemed to calm him at first but then all of a sudden he just quit playing with his toys, seemed sad and laid around a lot so I did not give him anymore. He started scratching like crazy, had scabs on his right shoulder area and fur falling out. i began the Answers Goat milk with him and took him to the vet in which she said allergies of course and gave him Apoquel and an antibiotic in case of infection. I did give him the apoquel but only at night so he could actually sleep, for about a week and a half. For the past few days he has been scratching like crazy and non stop to the point his tail is raw and the fur is coming out. He is becoming more aggressive as he actually bit the utility man here in our house. Yesterday i decided to put a harness on him because it is much easier to walk him with it. He instantly froze when i put it on. He didn't want to walk around the house or follow me he just stood in place. he has done this before with a harness, but what i noticed is he didn't scratch himself or bite at himself. So i left it on throughout the day and night to give his body a break ( so strange). I am now out of the goat milk as of this morning, but it did not seem to help with itching however it definitely helped with digestion i believe.
This is so strange to me it seems almost as if his scratching and things are like an OCD type of behavior because he stops when the harness is on.
His BEAM is good just the having to instigate play with him , as he used to just take toys out on his own and play with them. i am very overwhelmed at this point and am scared to take him on walks since this aggression is getting worse and he barks viciously at anyone who walks up to the door.
I put him on some cooked food still added with the kibble as it seemed the less kibble i gave him the worse it became.
like i said I'm very overwhelmed and at this point really don't know what to do. i could look for a remedy that could help aggression or OCD as i feel giving him the spirulina was a big mistake.
thank you for any suggestions.

 

[Dr. Christina]

First, and most important, remember that however awful it is to have severe itching, that is better than organ damage.

Great that wearing the harness decreasing the itching. I have seen Tellington T Touch "anxiety figure 8s" or shirts help itching as well.

I would strongly suggest beginning to work professionally/privately with a veterinary homeopath. Dr. Jeff does treat members' dogs (not the 15 minute free) - How Do I Become a New Client of Dr. Jeff Feinman's Homeopathic Veterinary Practice in Connecticut?, or Dr. Judy Herman, or there are others we can recommend. This will address all the symptoms - behavior and skin.

In addition, I would contact faculty member Jen Bridwell - The Canine Connection Dog Training to help, along with the homeopathy, for the behavior issues.

Probably a good idea to continue answer's goats milk and maybe some of the other fermented broths they have. Good nutrition even if no apparent help.

Hang in there - aggression is very challenging, for sure.

Dr. Christina

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hey Jennie. I'm so sorry to hear about Banjo's aggression and itch.

I would relate them to one underlying cause.

I believe (this is NOT conventional vet wisdom) that there is a physiologic imbalance that is manifesting as the abnormal symptoms that you are seeing.

Holistic Medical Decision-Making strategies may help reduce your overwhelm.

HMDM2.pdf

drive.google.com

Especially the Sherlock Homeopathic method I call the C.I.E.

This is understanding his symptoms by putting them into Context and Interpreting them holistically. These things lead to your better empowerment and ability to decide what to do easily and effectively.

Because of the aggression, I'd advise your working one-to-one with a vet homeopath to describe and better understand the gestalt of Banjo's dis-ease.

 

[Dr. Sara]

I agree with Dr. Jeff and Dr. Christina that it is best to work one-on-one with a holistic / homeopathic vet to help Banjo.
Please be aware that a known side effect of Apoquel is aggression. (This may actually be anxiety, as they can look much the same.) At any rate, Apoquel is not a good choice for a dog with pre-existing tendencies to guarding behavior and anxiety.
A supplement that generally is calming is cannabinoids, or hemp products. Be sure to find a product that is third party tested for potency and activity, and free of THC. Some good options are EarthAnimals ZenPen, CannaPet, and PetReLeaf.

 

[JennieC]

Thank you for the replies. I am wondering if giving him a small amount of melatonin would be helpful until I can get him an appointment and get some cbd, as well as getting him in a better food. Any ideas to cover his tail as that is where he is almost raw. My husband thought a sock would work and I will try it but I know he will rip it right off.
thank you for all the guidance. ?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

You're welcome, Jennie.?

Yes, melatonin could be helpful as could calming supplements such as theanine, 5-HTP, tryptophan, etc.

Even just switching to more turkey in his diet can calm him down.

Using CBDs is a great idea and you can get them without a prescription. There are many on the market that are widely available. Check out these two:

HempRx-25ml - HomeVet

No other veterinary product is like it! The first standardized cannabinoid.

www.homevet.com

Earth Animal ZEN-PEN™ For Dogs and Cats

Zen Pen™ is a powerful transdermal whole-plant hemp extract gel that was formulated for ease of administration and accurate dosing for pet parents. This unique and effective blend was designed to give the most efficient, fastest delivery on the inner flap of your dog or cat’s ear, absorbing...

koashouse.com

Calming supplements like this are great for taking the edge off symptoms, but do not treat the underlying problem. A vet trained in methods like homeopathy and Traditional Chinese Vet Med will address the imbalance that is causing all of Banjo's abnormal symptoms.

Yes, a sock will probably get taken right off. Perhaps try massaging aloe vera gel into the inflamed area and leaving a layer onto which you sprinkle cayenne pepper. This will be both soothing, healing and help keep him away from the area.

Also, this unique topical product can help speed healing of any red or irritated area:

Stem Gel 30ml - HomeVet

Use for chronic wounds, chronic infections, general wounds & dermatological conditions. Other Stem Gel Uses: • Ruptured cysts • Tight surgical wound closures • Lick granulomas • Burns • Broken nails/infected quicks • Paw pad lacerations/abrasions • Ear tip injuries • Dry noses and dry skin...

www.homevet.com