Does your pup have a paw that they constantly chew at and worry? Does it leave the brown/red staining that you also get around the eyes?

That’s because your dog’s salvia contains porphyrins which are a by-product of the break-down process of red blood cells. As these cells are recycled in the body, the waste is excreted through tears, salvia and other fluids. These porphyrins contain iron which, when it comes into contact with the air, oxidises and creates the red/brown stains you see on white or light coloured fur (a bit like the rust you can see on metal).

Don’t despair though, Happy Tears can help solve the problem.

Step 1 – Stop the Chewing

The simple fact is that whilst you dog is still chewing that paw then the stain will remain, so the first step is to stop the chewing. To do that you need to know why they are chewing and there are two reasons why this could be: either that they have an allergy ( please check with your vet)  or that it has become habit.

Possible allergy reaction/irritation

If they have an allergy to outside elements you could try and remove the irritant yourself. Make sure that every time your dog comes in from outside that you are cleaning those paws off to remove any irritants.

• Get a bowl of warm salty water and swish the paw in it to remove any surface irritants
• Wash the salty water off the paw with clean, warm water
• Dry the paw thoroughly with a bamboo cloth

Repeat this for a couple of weeks and it should remove the dogs urge to chew the area and you will then be able to treat it. It does take patience and dedication and will need to be done every time they go outside but it is achievable.

If your dog has an allergy to household dust obviously it would be impossible to keep cleaning the paws to remove this so you could consider a water spray to dampen down the particles which should stop them being an irritant.

Habit

If the chewing isn’t caused by an allergy or irritant, then it is likely that is will be a result of habit and the only way to stop this from happening is with some patience and dedication.

You will need to distract your dog from chewing the paw to break the habit – try using a lick mat or Kong, wait until they start chewing the paw (or looking like they are going to) and stick the mat or kong under their nose.

Unfortunately, this is not a quick or easy process and it will take a lot of patience but it is possible to break a habit in the same way we – as humans- can.

Don’t forget to reward your dog for good behaviour and you’ll be able to see the results soon.

Step 2 – Remove the Stain

Once the chewing has been stopped it’s time to treat the stain. Watch our video below to see the best way to treat a stain on your dogs paw by using our Happy Tears standard treatment kit.

Again, this will take a bit of time and patience, but you should quickly be able to see a difference by doing this daily.

Once treated this staining should not return as long as your dog does not start chewing again.

If you have any issues with your dog chewing their paws or other staining on their fur please do not hesitate to get in touch, we’re more than happy to help with all your poochy problems (and we love meeting new furry friends).

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