Any ideas?

[Birker2020]

Please no criticism, dog not in pain and we are monitoring. She has her vaccination on Friday so we can ask the vet then.

Our 8 yr old Beagle has developed sore upper front legs.

We first noticed last Thursday. She's with my partner most of the day and he's not noticed her licking the area although I've noticed in the evening when she lies on the bed she will have the odd lick or bite. I wondered if it was the long grass that had been irritating her legs. Its only at the top, unfortunately not able to load any more photos as i have to crop them so much.

But otherwise doesn't seem in the slightest bothered.

She's not effected anywhere else. We've been treating with a bit of savlon.

Any ideas what it could be? Thank you.

 

[PurBee]

Neighbours dog would get this regularly, i think due to the tiny spikes from thistles that are all over the fields here.
This is the time of year thistles are dying off and bits breaking off onto the ground.
It’s hard to see the very thin, small thorn as often it enters the skin and anything protruding breaks off when the dog licks - leaving an invisible teeny piece in the skin, causing soreness.

My gsd doesnt suffer with this due to the amount of thick hair she has under her feet and between her toes, but my shorter haired dog has had this too.
Rarely do they pose infection problems - the soreness tends to go after a few days, i generally put aloe vera on, any ‘safe to lick’ antiseptic cream helps.

Keep an eye out for a head forming with a pussy centre, like a splinter injury. They tend to lick and lick so this rarely forms.

 

[Birker2020]

Neighbours dog would get this regularly, i think due to the tiny spikes from thistles that are all over the fields here.
This is the time of year thistles are dying off and bits breaking off onto the ground.
It’s hard to see the very thin, small thorn as often it enters the skin and anything protruding breaks off when the dog licks - leaving an invisible teeny piece in the skin, causing soreness.

My gsd doesnt suffer with this due to the amount of thick hair she has under her feet and between her toes, but my shorter haired dog has had this too.
Rarely do they pose infection problems - the soreness tends to go after a few days, i generally put aloe vera on, any ‘safe to lick’ antiseptic cream helps.

Keep an eye out for a head forming with a pussy centre, like a splinter injury. They tend to lick and lick so this rarely forms.

Thanks, not considered thorns.

Would it be where the top of the legs meets the breast/chest though because you seem to be referring to right down by the feet?

Damn this phone - when i take a photo it has to be so cropped or its too big! Thanks

 

[PurBee]

Thanks, not considered thorns.

Would it be where the top of the legs meets the breast/chest though because you seem to be referring to right down by the feet?

Damn this phone - when i take a photo it has to be so cropped or its too big! Thanks

oh sorry - i thought the pic was of the top of the paw - even though i read your description, the sore looks exactly like a thistle thorn sore ive seen countless times on top of paws/inbetween toes areas on dogs.

Has your dog been walked through long grass meadows? Thats the only way i can imagine a thistle thorn lodging in higher up the leg.

Another consideration, my gsd since a pup, and older, always itches her chest with her hind feet after having food with colourings/artificial additives/synthetic additives/grains in it. I noticed it with some dried food years ago. She would lick her dripping nose at the same time as itching her mid chest. I took a guess at allergy, considered her food and thought the ‘green’ dyed pieces of dry food might be causing it. The dry food was also grain based. So i switched her off grains and artificial colourings etc and she’s absolutely fine.
Her chest/top of legs area would get sore from her itching, so maybe consider a food allergy, if youve recently switched to a new food?

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Environmental issue? New washing tablets? New floor cleaner?

 

[Bellasophia]

I would do a skin scrape at the vets..this is probably mite related.
This is the classic time of year to pick up harvest mites.

My poodles used to get this every autumn..bravecto,or similar would sort this out,once diagnosed.

 

[Birker2020]

I would do a skin scrape at the vets..this is probably mite related.
This is the classic time of year to pick up harvest mites.

My poodles used to get this every autumn..bravecto,or similar would sort this out,once diagnosed.

This is what we were fearing. The vets we use are referral vets and some of the most expensive in the country. They charge a small arm and leg job, a skin scraping and analysis would set us back approx £150 easily plus consultation, this was the price to have a biopsy of a wart checked.

Can you buy something from Pets at Home and cut out the middle man?

I'm all for getting the dog treated but loathe being ripped off for the privilidge.

 

[poiuytrewq]

If it’s mites a dusting of sulphur powder (if that’s ok for dogs, check first) or some frontline spray and avoiding grass for a few days would be a diagnosis in itself.

 

[Birker2020]

If it’s mites a dusting of sulphur powder (if that’s ok for dogs, check first) or some frontline spray and avoiding grass for a few days would be a diagnosis in itself.

Cool thank you. It did look much calmer today, sadly I can't show you the whole pictures due to my phone playing up again. Grrr.

I think it looks worse when she starts nipping at it.

 

[skinnydipper]

Its confusing when people start 2 threads minutes apart on the same subject, I commented on your other thread:

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/dog-with-fur-loss-on-upper-front-legs.810959/

I am still of the opinion that the best idea is to ask the advice of your vet. I believe you said you were taking the dog for vaccination tomorrow - why not ask the vet to take a look then?

Amateurs on the internet are unlikely to be able to diagnose your dog's problem with the same accuracy as a trained professional in a face to face consultation, and the vet has the advantage of knowing your dog's past medical history.


Is this the same dog that you posted about under a different username, when you were looking for a cheaper alternative to Purina HA?

Hi long story, will be brief as I can. We use Purina Hypoallergenic for one of our dogs, a 7yr old beagle. She has a recurring ear infection (sometimes yeast infection, sometimes bacterial infection) which the vets think is due to a food allergy and they have been treating her for about ten months now.

 

[pistolpete]

Folliculitis maybe? Which just means inflamed hair follicles. A good shampoo with an oatmeal cleanser or hibiscrub and rinse well.