Ask Dr Claire

My female French Bulldog always chews her feet

Chewing at paws is really just a symptom and can be the result of many underlying causes.

In this case, we really need to find the cause of the chewing so that we can properly treat your Frenchies problem. This will help us reach the best treatment plan too.

Some of the underlying causes to chew ones paws might be:

• Allergies making them itchy! (usually pollens, also food and fleas)
• Direct irritant in contact with the paws
• Injury to the paw pads, paw or nails
• Infection of the paws including nails (usually bacteria, yeast or mites)

Allergic dogs have a reduced skin barrier problem, making them more susceptible to allergens. An allergy can result in licking and chewing at the paws (also other areas on the body), and then the moist skin environment lends to proliferation of bugs within the dogs skin resulting in infection. Dealing with the allergy or the infection will stop or reduce the licking.  

Allergies are particularly common in French Bulldogs.

A hands-on examination from your local vet would be a great place to start. Some basic tests need to be done such as skin scrapes and sticky tape impressions to look for infection and parasites (mites), under the microscope.  

If you’d like to chat in person, you can book a live video call or start a chat to discuss in more detail, as soon as possible.

We’re here to help!

Chat soon,

Dr Claire