Help - Excessive paw licking.

[Babyroobs]

My cocker spaniel is driving me insane with his continuous paw licking. He has been doing this excessively noisy/ slurping since returning from the dog sitter a few days ago as we were away last week. I've read it could be due to a fungal infection on his feet ? Does anyone have experience of this and if so is there anything I can buy online or 'over the counter' to treat it ? I 'm sure it is intensely annoying for him. He seems depressed which I had put down to him missing lots of company with other dogs at the dog sitters but am now wondering whether it's this. We had a trip to the vets just over a week ago for excessive sneezing which stopped as soon as he got to the dog sitters. Could he be allergic to something in our home ?

[BiteyShark]

We have used diluted hibiscrub in between his paw pads and was recommended to by our vet. You do need to really dilute it so it's only just pink iykwim and then I stop him licking the area until dry.

[Poutintrout]

One of mine used to do this (he's gone now). We spoke to the vet & there was no medical reason, he was just a worry wort. We used to buy baby socks and bandage tape and put a sock on the paw he was licking using a little tape round the top of the sock.

[Babyroobs]

He is perfectly settled when asleep. He has been for long walk today and very happy and not in any discomfort when walking.

[Babyroobs]

Thanks to everyone with their suggestions. Just to update, the excessive paw licking has largely stopped now just the occasional bout after he has returned from his walks. So I'm assuming it was an anxiety thing. He is so nervous and now the fireworks have started for Diwali and he is a bit of a wreck again, he follows me everywhere. I've told my dh that if we go away again it will be in the Uk and he will be coming with us.

[NormaBean]

Mine had an allergy. After keeping a diary of when it occurred we were able to figure out its trigger, horse excrement We then cut out the section of his usual walk that included the horse field and it stopped.

Like yours, he was fine on the walk and immediately after we arrived home but just a few hours later he’d be licking away at his paws until they were raw.

Good luck to him.