German Shepherd dog

I have a dog who licks his paws until they are sore. In between the pads, they get wet and red. My vet gave me some spray on medicine to put on two or three times a day, which does help, but it takes several days of this medicine....the small bottle only lasts a couple of days before I have to buy a new one, and it costs $17, so I am wondering if there is anything else I might use? I'm assuming the problem is fungal or bacterial, like a hot spot, so maybe a mild iodine? Or is there another, less expensive spray I might find somewhere other than the vet, as my vet also charges me a $45 office call every time I bring my boy in for this problem? This dog has this problem every few months or so, especially during the summer when it's hot and humid. Anyone else had this problem?

you have to find the root of the problem, but maybe soaking the dogs foot in epsom salts a couple times per day may help. helps to draw out toxins, or so they say. it can't hurt

Sometimes wiping the paws after the dog has come in from the outside helps too if it's an allergy.  

???ingrowing hairs???

Post here what you feed  your dog. Give us a list of the ingredients. Some dogs are allergic to their food. If it's not a contact dermatitis then I would suspect it's the food you are feeding. I've been through this before.

Also, has the dog had any vaccinations recently?

Let us know as it can make a difference knowing all the details for process of elimination. You might even may have to have the dog tested for allergies as it could be a multiple allergy so many things.

My vet had me put Witch Hazel in a spray bottle and saturate his feet. It helps stop the itch and won't hurt if your dog licks it.

I meant about the paw licking part. If he is limping too then it may be a different issue. But in your post you wrote " I have a dog...." just clarify if he is a GSD. Because some breeds just have a tendency to lick their paws and legs area particularly the retrievers.

cheers

I assume you and the vet have checked his feet really carefully for foreign objects and splinters? Certain weed seeds and grasses (foxtails especially) can be picked up by the dog's paws, and work their way under the skin. Or, like has been suggested, it could be allergies.

You can give a dog Benedryl to see if it seems inhalent allergy related. Depending on his weight, you can use 25-50mg tabs 1-2 times a day. Or you can also ask your vet to prescribe a short course of prednisone so he stops licking/chewing long enough to give the sores and irritated areas time to heal. The spray will have a better chance to work then.

I have a GSD and have known other GSD's that do this. It does happen in the breed. The most effective way to help my dog is a short course of prednisone with a spray or cream on the sores, and then using Benedryl once the major irritants have cleared up to keep things calm during the major allergy seasons. Using a spray without the prednisone only makes my dog chew and lick more. If it is red and irritated between the pads, the spray may keep the area moist, causing more harm than good. Make sure the area stays dry. If the feet are irritated and sore enough, limping can occur.

You can put baby socks on his feet as well to keep him from licking and chewng, but it's very important the feet are dry.

Good luck.

How does the dog spend most of it's time? With people or alone? In a yard or kennel?

This might be a result of high drive/nerves/anxiety. Have seen this before in labs. 

Funny I just mentioned in another thread that when my boy died one female went to doing this. Her feet got swollen and sore and it made her limp or act really ouchy when she walked on the pea gravel in the driveway. What we used was Bactine. It is a spray or I think you can get an ointment too, but we used the spray. I would sit with her until it dried somewhat in case she would lick at her feet. It took about a week of doing this 3-4 times a day before they healed up and got better. Good luck to you.