Summer is here and the warm weather brings us outside!  This is terrific for our health and for our pets, but some pets come in and incessantly lick their paws.  If your pet is licking due to itchy paws, here’s a couple ways you can help to minimize the discomfort.  

Consider Why

First, consider having a Nutriscan test done so you can find out exactly what your pet is eating that could be causing the immune system to overreact.  When your dog eats foods that he isn’t processing well, it can make him more sensitive to pollen.  Check out Nutriscan.org to learn more and order your in-home test kit.  It’s a bit of an investment, but can save you a lot of time and trips to the vet if you can narrow down what foods your dog isn’t digesting well.  Secondly, do not use pesticides on your lawn and be careful not to allow your dog to walk on treated lawns.  Pesticide lawn treatments have become commonplace, but are not friendly to our environment and harmful to your pets skin and digestive tract when they lick their paws and ingest those lawn treatments. 

Another helpful practice is to wipe your dog’s paws off after he has been outside.  This is a way to physically remove the irritants and pollen.  The wipes are easy to make and inexpensive!  Adding essential oils has wonderful benefits for calming the skin.  Lavender has natural antihistamine properties and frankincense is excellent for aiding damaged skin.  Try out this recipe:

Clean Paw wipe recipe:

1. Either cut a paper towel roll in half or tear each sheet off individually. 

(I found the select-a-size paper towels to work best, then cut or fold them in half to make individual squares)

2. Place the half roll or individual sheets in an airtight container.
3. Prepare liquids to pour over:  Warm 2 cups of distilled water, add 2 tbsp of fractionated coconut oil, 3 drops of lavender, and 3 drops of frankincense or cedarwood.  Stir together.
4. Pour liquids over the paper towels and seal the container.  Wait 10 minutes.  Flip the container over and wait 10 more minutes.  

The Clean Paw Wipes are ready for use on your dog as needed.

For dogs that aren’t improving with these simple tips, I invite you to schedule a time to talk with me. Schedule here: https://holisticpetmentor.as.me/

I will coach you through diet selection, supplements, and essential oils as a way to manage seasonal discomforts.  This approach is empowering to pet parents and super effective for pets!