# Questions for lighter golden owners



## Karen2 (Jan 5, 2009)

Sierra's are kind of reddish deep, just dirty towards the ends.
Karen


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

typically the stains way inside like that are allergy related licking or just plain allergy related. Your vet is most likely right. Scout is about the age you'd expect allergies to show up if they will be there.


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## 58loosy (Apr 18, 2010)

I had a golden that was a foot licker since puppy all the way through adult, paws were darker, it was allergy, finally found the food that stopped her from licking, it was natural balance, can't remember which 2 foods like for allegies. Another good food is wellness simple solutions, both dogs are on it.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

hotel4dogs said:


> typically the stains way inside like that are allergy related licking or just plain allergy related. Your vet is most likely right. Scout is about the age you'd expect allergies to show up if they will be there.


Oh gosh. Don't tell me that--I am in denial :no:

She also has a rash around her vulva (why I went in) and a gunky ear--both he said *could* be environmental allergens but was vague about the cause (could be anything, even grass). Oh, but rash could also be from constant licking down there which is suspected vaginitis (still)--but maybe that could be allergy too?


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

My blondies have lighter hair between their pads- I just went and checked it out. It must be the licking staining the coat? I'm not sure.


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Oakly has always had the reddish hair between his pads. He is not a paw licker.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

58loosy said:


> I had a golden that was a foot licker since puppy all the way through adult, paws were darker, it was allergy, finally found the food that stopped her from licking, it was natural balance, can't remember which 2 foods like for allegies. Another good food is wellness simple solutions, both dogs are on it.


What was she allergic to in her food? Scout is on a grain-free food (though the treats I'm sure aren't).


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## eirepup (Apr 14, 2010)

Finn has always had reddish hair between his paws, all year round and he never licks them


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## Riley's Mom (Jul 6, 2008)

Riley's feet are stained too but I never see him licking them. I assumed since they sweat through their pads that that's what caused it. I wouldn't say he has allergies either. He does get an occasional hot spot.


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## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

Mine turn red when the allergies flare up and he starts licking them. He had both environmental and food allergies. Right now he's having a hard time with environmental allergens. Grain free didn't clear up his symptoms either -- I think he has an allergy to either eggs and/or cottage cheese in addition to grains and a couple of protein sources.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

contrary to popular marketing, grains are not one of the leading causes of food allergies in dogs. Beef and chicken are among the top culprits.
The gunky ear, redden feet, and inflamed vulva would all *probably* point to allergies. 
Has the vet suggested any benedryl or anything to see if it clears up? The stained feet can take a long time to clear up even after they stop licking.
Get WAY inside her feet, down to the webbing on the underside, and feel it to see if it's slightly moist.
They normally sweat on the bottoms of their pads, not in between their toes.


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## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

We have two lighter colored boys and neither of them have red on the bottoms of their paws, but they don't lick their paws at all.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

another thought....doesn't scout swim a lot? Maybe it's a yeast infection in between her toes from being wet? That would account for her ear and the rash, too, maybe?


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

Darby has red in between his toes, he licks them in the spring and fall so I figure grass pollen. Kirby's feet are just very slightly discolored at the base of her pads - most likely just sweat.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

No, the vet did not suggest benadryl. He gave her antibiotics for what is presumed to be vaginitis (sigh) and an ointment for the rash. If it is an allergen, wouldn't it be doubtful that it is food related? According to Google food allergies in dogs are the least common allergies. The most common are the inhalant allergies and flea-caused.

Her feet do feel slightly moist, but not excessively.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

hotel4dogs said:


> another thought....doesn't scout swim a lot? Maybe it's a yeast infection in between her toes from being wet? That would account for her ear and the rash, too, maybe?


Yes, she swims almost daily. I have gotten lax about rinsing her off (hey--most people a few hours later think she was well bathed and don't realize how dirty she was). I wonder too in part if she got the rash from swimming. The vaginitis and licking thing has been there.


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## chipstone (May 24, 2010)

i would assume allergies as well. the yeasty ears are probably from moisture in the ear since you say she swims alot. the only ear solution i've ever used that has actually worked, i made myself. it is foolproof as long as you're diligent...i will just about promise you that...here is the formula:
16 oz isopropyl alcohol
4 Tbs boric acid powder
16 drops gentian violet
mix together and follow the steps listed on this website: http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/Adobe/Blue%20Power%20Ear%20Treatment.pdf

as for the paw licking...that could also be attributed to moisture build up or as your vet said, seasonal/contact allergies...this certainly is the time of year. I do not believe in things such as bitter apple spray or even wrapping their pads in vet wrap... I have always tried to "fix" them from the inside out. with that being said, when my youngest golden was licking her pads (to the point that she couldn't even put pressure on the left), i started her on a supplement called "Spring Tonic" by animal apawthercary. Within about a week, she was no longer bothering her paws & hasn't since.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

chipstone said:


> i would assume allergies as well. the yeasty ears are probably from moisture in the ear since you say she swims alot. the only ear solution i've ever used that has actually worked, i made myself. it is foolproof as long as you're diligent...i will just about promise you that...here is the formula:
> 16 oz isopropyl alcohol
> 4 Tbs boric acid powder
> 16 drops gentian violet
> mix together and follow the steps listed on this website: http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/Adobe/Blue%20Power%20Ear%20Treatment.pdf


There was an email about this going around ~2 years ago that I can't find now.... about how this solution could be very unsafe long-term.... anyone know of it? Or was it not real?


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Ok, I have not noticed Scout licking her paws at all. Vet thinks she probably is licking when I am not watching. I think she would have to be a dedicated licker to get all four feet that nice and even rusty-red color. And maybe because she swims the moisture keeps them red, or...it seems like there are other golden owners who have non-allergenic dogs with red-stained fur pads. Maybe it is just the way she is.


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## chipstone (May 24, 2010)

RedDogs said:


> There was an email about this going around ~2 years ago that I can't find now.... about how this solution could be very unsafe long-term.... anyone know of it? Or was it not real?


only if you add colloidal silver which can be harmful in large doses. 

most all ear cleaning solutions are made up of the ingredients i listed, however companies add lots of excess deoderizers, scents, etc. 
you could leave the gentian violet out, however that helps to kill and prevent bacteria from forming.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

ok, I know this isn't what you want to hear but the feet PLUS the ear is what points to allergies instead of it being just the way she is.
Normally dog feet are not moist at all in between the toes. The fact that they're moist at all indicates an ongoing issue. They should be totally dry.
And you're right, food allergies account for only about 10% of all canine allergies, and almost always are accompanied by environmental allergies. This is the time of year for environmental allergies to show up in many areas of the country.
But I'd still wonder about the swimming, wonder if her feet are never really getting dry and it's causing an irritation and/or yeast build up.
Can you blow dry her feet real well after she swims?


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

GoldenSail said:


> What was she allergic to in her food? Scout is on a grain-free food (though the treats I'm sure aren't).


Grain-free food doesn't prevent allergies. The most common food allergens in dogs are chicken, beef, and pork. Wheat, corn, and soy are also possible allergens, but they come much further down the list.

Also, only 10% of atopy (skin reactions from allergies) is caused by food allergens. The other 90% of the time, it's environmental. Fleas are the most common cause of environmental allergens, though there are a whole host (pollens, dusts, molds, etc.).

Saliva does cause the hair to turn redder over time. I'm not sure if sweat has the same effect or what else might turn the hair red.


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## rappwizard (May 27, 2009)

Mac is a lighter-colored golden and the fur on her foot pads, all four of them, is white. She's white around her privates too. The skin on her pads is pinkish-white--ditto privates. Same with her ears. 

We have a chlorinated pool, and after she goes swimming, we hose her off and we'll towel dry her--she has a good wash and wear coat. I also have cotton wipes and I will check her ears to wipe away any loose ear wax. I don't know if this helps or not.


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## scottbldr (Aug 29, 2009)

The signs certainly point to a possible allergy but dogs can also lick their paws due to boredom, stress, compulsion or habit.

Robert


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

How would you guys suggest ruling allergies out? I still am skeptical, but will keep the possibility in the back of my head.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

GoldenSail said:


> How would you guys suggest ruling allergies out? I still am skeptical, but will keep the possibility in the back of my head.


The effectiveness of allergy testing is widely questioned in contemporary medical research, so while you can get scratch tests and blood tests, they may not give you accurate results.

The only proven way to precisely determine food allergies in dogs is an elimination diet, where you feed the dog one or two ingredients, and once all allergy symptoms are gone, you add ingredients back in one at a time.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

I would be seriously considering the water she is swimming in, if this is something that has flared up this spring, and not been a problem before. With the light precip this winter, and generally dry spring so far a lot of ponds are lower and gunkier. I've taken to rinsing my guys off ofter we do water work, as I have noticed a pronounced itchiness if I do not which was not the case in prior years! A couple of friends with whom I train have also been fighting recurrent hot spots on older dogs who've not had problems with them before. The water quality is aboput the only change we can pinpoint.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

The red fur in the paws as far as I can remember has been there a long time--since winter time and even earlier. I will try to pay special attention to rinsing her after swimming and drying her paws to see if I notice anything different. I do not think she is itchy either, I have never seen her scratch her gunky ear or lick/chew her feet.


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## potatoe (Apr 23, 2010)

i just wanted to share my personal experience, to what others have basically said.

bailey used to have em as well when we first got him, but after we changed his food to california naturals the discoloration on his paws completely disappeared! i'm not sure if it was a food allergy or what not, and i do know that there are several causes to this, but for Bailey the food did the trick!


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## Goldenmomma (Oct 15, 2009)

Great, now I'm worried. I just checked and both have red hair between their toes. Neither of them licks their feet or have ear infections. I have them on Nutro Natural Choice Sensitive Stomach food and cookies because other foods give Sully diarrhea. I hate to change her food, but now I don't know. I hate to have them suffer through allergies.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

So--Scout and I walk through a field to get to the ponds where I let her swim. This field is covered in cheat grass though and I ended up pulling tons of it out of her legs, feet, armpits....I thought I had done good until I went to put her ointment on. Sure enough, I found a few pieces stuck around her vulva. She was actually really good (for once) with me touching her sensitive area and I pulled them all out. I feel like a bad dog mom though  I wonder if this has caused the licking and redness not allergies.


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## MILLIESMOM (Aug 13, 2006)

Millie had allergies. She had the same type of outbreaks as Scout. I switched her to California Natural Sweet Potato and Herring, no more problems. Our new girl Brie is a lighter Golden, her feet are red in between her toes also. My vet said this is either from licking or being wet a lot. I don't see her licking them often, it is usually after she comes in from outside and it is wet and rainy.


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## jenlaur (Jun 24, 2009)

GoldenSail said:


> Ok, I have not noticed Scout licking her paws at all. Vet thinks she probably is licking when I am not watching. I think she would have to be a dedicated licker to get all four feet that nice and even rusty-red color. And maybe because she swims the moisture keeps them red, or...it seems like there are other golden owners who have non-allergenic dogs with red-stained fur pads. Maybe it is just the way she is.


Riley is pretty blonde and the hair between the toes of her front paws is dark red, almost brown and less so with her hind paws. Same with the hair around her vulva. She's not much of a licker.


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## Kevin's Goldens (May 22, 2008)

My Riley is blonde between the pads as well.


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## kiranddoug (Jun 16, 2009)

I was trimming the hair around Whiskey's feet just yesterday, and yes, the hair is a pinky red way down between the pads.


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

Kooper, is a licker, hair beyween paws, slightly darker.


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