Does your dog have itchy paws? Maybe they are always licking their paws, and perhaps their paws start looking red and irritated quite often. This can be frustrating, both for your dog and for you as a dog owner. Thankfully, there are plenty of things a vet can do for itchy paws. Here are some of the top treatments to explore with your veterinarian.

Changes in Diet

People often think that itchy paws are a reaction to the environment, and sometimes they are. But they can also be caused by food allergies. If your vet thinks your dog may have a food allergy, they can switch them to a limited ingredient diet. These foods contain only a few simple ingredients — and no ingredients that are known to be common allergens in dogs. After a few weeks on the new food, you should know whether your dog's paw itchiness is due to food allergies or not. If their itchiness clears up, then your dog may not need any additional treatments. They may just need to stick with a simple, allergen-free diet.

Antihistamine Sprays and Creams

For minor paw itchiness, your vet may recommend applying a topical antihistamine cream or spray to your dog's paws. This medication will stop your dog's body from producing histamines, which are chemicals that cause allergy symptoms like itchiness and redness. You may need to apply the histamine cream once or twice a day, and often only during seasons when your dog's symptoms are at their worst. The sprays are often very bitter tasting, so dogs generally stop licking their paws once they're applied. This further helps stop the itching since licking tends to just make it worse.

Steroid Medications

If the antihistamine creams or sprays don't alleviate your dog's itchiness, the vet may prescribe an oral steroid medication. Prednisone is a common one. Steroids interfere with the inflammatory process, which is what's behind most cases of itchy and irritated paws. Your dog will often need to take steroids for several weeks, and then they'll need to wean off them slowly to prevent side effects. Dogs sometimes gain weight on steroids, but they tend to drop the pounds once they stop taking the medication.

Itchy paws are a common problem in dogs. If your dog is suffering from this issue, talk to your local veterinarian. There is a lot that can be done to calm down the itchiness and any related symptoms.