PERSONALIZED RELIEF FOR ITCHING, PAW LICKING & EAR INFECTIONS
Constant paw licking, scratching, face rubbing and recurring ear infections are some of the most common signs of allergies in dogs and cats.
At Aliso Beach Animal Clinic, we provide individualized pet allergy diagnosis and treatment in Laguna Beach. We look beyond the visible itch to determine whether your pet is affected by environmental allergies, food allergy, flea allergy, secondary infection or another condition that can produce similar symptoms.
Our goal is not to automatically place every allergic pet on year-round medication. Some patients need ongoing allergy management, while others can remain comfortable with seasonal treatment, targeted topical care or occasional pulse therapy during flare-ups.
Every plan is built around the individual pet’s symptoms, lifestyle, medical history and the owner’s priorities.
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Pet allergies usually cause skin, paw or ear symptoms rather than the sneezing and watery eyes commonly associated with human allergies.
Common signs include:
Symptoms may occur during one season or continue throughout the year. A pet may also have more than one type of allergy at the same time.
Many owners initially believe that paw licking is caused by boredom or anxiety. However, licking and chewing the feet is one of the most common signs of allergic skin disease in dogs.
Allergic inflammation can affect the skin between the toes and around the paw pads. Continued licking then damages the skin barrier, creating an opportunity for bacteria and yeast to multiply.
Allergy-related paw symptoms may include:
Paw licking is not always caused by allergies. A torn nail, foxtail, splinter, mite infestation, infection, orthopedic pain or growth between the toes can produce similar behavior.
A dog that suddenly licks one foot may have a different problem than a dog that chronically chews all four paws.
Anxiety-related or compulsive licking more commonly targets one focused area on the top or outside of a lower leg. Repeated licking can create a thickened, inflamed lesion called an acral lick granuloma.
A lick granuloma may involve anxiety or compulsive behavior, but it can also be triggered or perpetuated by:
We investigate medical causes before concluding that persistent licking is purely behavioral.
Environmental allergy is also called atopic dermatitis or atopy. It occurs when a susceptible pet develops an abnormal inflammatory response to substances in the environment.
Possible triggers include:
Environmental allergies may be seasonal at first and become more persistent over time. Commonly affected areas include the paws, ears, face, underarms, abdomen and groin.
Environmental allergy cannot always be cured, but symptoms can usually be managed through a combination of itch control, topical treatment, infection management, allergen reduction and immunotherapy when appropriate.
Food allergy can cause itching, ear infections and paw licking that look almost identical to environmental allergy. Some pets also develop gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, soft stool or excessive gas.
A pet can become allergic to an ingredient it has eaten for months or years. Changing from one store-bought food to another does not necessarily create a valid food trial because many commercial diets contain overlapping proteins or trace ingredients.
A properly conducted elimination-diet trial is the most reliable method for diagnosing food allergy.
A pet with flea allergy can develop intense itching from a very small number of flea bites. Owners may not see live fleas by the time symptoms become noticeable.
Flea allergy commonly affects the:
Reliable flea prevention is an essential part of diagnosing and managing an itchy pet, even when no fleas are visible during the examination.
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Healthy skin creates a barrier against bacteria, yeast and environmental irritants. Allergic inflammation weakens that barrier.
Licking, scratching and moisture cause additional damage, allowing organisms that normally live on the skin to multiply excessively.
Common secondary problems include:
A secondary infection can make an allergic pet dramatically itchier. It may also make Apoquel or Cytopoint appear to have stopped working.
Before increasing allergy medication, we frequently perform skin or ear cytology to determine whether bacteria or yeast are contributing to the flare.
There is no single blood test, skin test or examination finding that identifies every pet allergy.
Diagnosis usually requires a systematic process that considers parasites, infection, food allergy and environmental allergy.
We begin by asking:
We examine the paws, ears, skin, coat, face, abdomen, groin and other affected areas. The pattern and distribution of lesions can help narrow the possible causes.
Cytology allows us to examine material from the skin or ear canal under a microscope.
It may identify:
This helps us determine whether the pet needs antibacterial, antifungal or topical treatment in addition to allergy relief.
A skin scraping may be performed to look for mites such as Demodex or Sarcoptes. Flea control may also be recommended as a diagnostic treatment even when fleas are not visible.
A strict elimination diet is used to determine whether food is contributing to a pet’s symptoms.
The diet generally uses either:
During the trial, the pet must receive only the approved diet. This means avoiding:
Diet trials commonly continue for approximately eight to twelve weeks. A food challenge with the previous diet may be needed to confirm that improvement was truly related to food avoidance.
Environmental allergy testing is often misunderstood.
Blood allergy testing and intradermal skin testing do not independently prove that an itchy pet has environmental allergies. Healthy pets can test positive to substances without showing clinical disease.
Environmental allergy is primarily diagnosed through the pet’s history, examination and exclusion of other common causes of itching.
Allergy testing becomes most useful after environmental allergy has been clinically diagnosed and the owner is considering allergen-specific immunotherapy.
Testing helps identify allergens that may be included in a customized immunotherapy formulation.
Commercial blood, saliva and hair tests are not considered reliable methods for diagnosing food allergy in dogs and cats.
A strict elimination-diet trial followed by food challenge remains the preferred diagnostic approach.
Allergic skin disease can range from a mild seasonal problem to a persistent condition affecting a pet throughout the year.
We consider:
A treatment plan may combine medication, topical therapy, parasite control, nutrition, environmental management and immunotherapy.
Not every allergic dog requires uninterrupted medication throughout the entire year.
For dogs with predictable seasonal symptoms or occasional flare-ups, we may recommend intermittent or pulse treatment during the periods when relief is needed.
Pulse therapy may include:
Year-round management may be more appropriate for pets with persistent symptoms, frequent infections or chronic skin damage.
Our goal is to use enough treatment to keep the individual patient comfortable without automatically prescribing more medication than the pet needs.
Cytopoint, or lokivetmab, is an injectable treatment for allergic itching in dogs. It targets a specific signal involved in the canine itch pathway.
A Cytopoint injection may provide relief for several weeks, although duration varies among dogs.
It may be considered for:
Cytopoint reduces itching but does not eliminate fleas, mites, bacterial infection, yeast infection or food allergy. Those conditions require separate diagnosis and treatment.
Apoquel, or oclacitinib, is an oral medication used to control allergic itching and inflammation in dogs.
It can be used for:
Apoquel affects immune-signaling pathways and is not appropriate for every patient. We consider the dog’s age, infection history, current health and concurrent medications before prescribing it.
Dogs receiving Apoquel should be monitored for infections and other medical concerns.
Corticosteroids such as prednisone can reduce severe itching and inflammation rapidly.
They have become less desirable for routine long-term allergy management because repeated or prolonged use may cause:
Steroids still have an appropriate role. A carefully selected short course may provide valuable relief during a severe flare or when another medication is unsuitable.
Antibiotics do not treat the underlying allergy. They are used when an allergic pet develops a secondary bacterial infection.
The most common canine bacterial skin organism is Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. It normally lives on many dogs but can cause infection when allergic inflammation damages the skin barrier.
Depending on the infection, treatment may involve:
Yeast infections may require medicated shampoos, mousses, wipes, sprays or prescription oral antifungal medication.
We avoid automatically prescribing antibiotics for every itchy pet. Cytology and the severity of the infection help determine whether topical treatment may be sufficient.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, or MRSP, is encountered in canine skin and ear infections.
MRSP is resistant to several commonly used antibiotics. It does not necessarily cause more aggressive disease, but it limits which medications are likely to work.
Bacterial culture and susceptibility testing may be recommended when:
Topical therapy can be particularly useful for superficial resistant infections because it delivers a high concentration directly to the affected skin while reducing reliance on systemic antibiotics.
We prefer topical therapy when it can effectively treat the affected area because it delivers treatment directly to the skin with less systemic exposure than many oral medications.
Depending on the condition, we may recommend:
Topical treatment can:
The product must match the skin condition. A drying product may be useful for a greasy lesion but can irritate dry, cracked or ulcerated skin.
We do not recommend applying rubbing alcohol and apple-cider vinegar to inflamed or infected skin. These ingredients can sting and further irritate damaged tissue. Veterinary-formulated products can be selected according to the organisms found on cytology.
Allergen-specific immunotherapy is the treatment commonly referred to as allergy shots, although oral formulations may also be available.
After environmental allergy has been clinically diagnosed, allergy testing can help select allergens for a customized formulation.
Immunotherapy gradually exposes the immune system to controlled amounts of relevant allergens. Its goal is to reduce the allergic response over time rather than only suppressing symptoms.
Important considerations include:
Immunotherapy may be particularly useful for younger pets with persistent environmental allergies or owners seeking a long-term strategy that may reduce reliance on other medication.
Environmental allergens cannot usually be removed completely, but exposure and skin accumulation may be reduced.
Helpful measures may include:
Excessive bathing or harsh products can damage the skin barrier, so the frequency and product should be chosen for the individual pet.
Nutrition cannot cure every environmental allergy, but a complete and balanced diet supports skin-barrier health and overall wellness.
Some pets may benefit from:
Do not add multiple supplements or change foods repeatedly during an allergy investigation. Frequent changes make it harder to determine what is helping and can invalidate an elimination-diet trial.
Cats may show allergic discomfort through excessive grooming rather than obvious scratching.
Possible signs include:
Feline allergy may involve fleas, food, environmental allergens or a combination of factors.
Apoquel and Cytopoint are canine products and are not treated as routine allergy medications for cats. Cats require a species-specific diagnostic and treatment plan.
We do not automatically place every allergic pet on the same medication or year-round schedule. Treatment is adjusted according to the patient’s symptoms, seasonality, infections and medical history.
Skin and ear cytology, skin scrapings and other basic tests help us treat the condition found rather than guessing.
Shampoos, mousses, sprays and medicated pads can deliver treatment directly to the affected skin and reduce systemic medication exposure.
For appropriate patients, we can discuss pulse therapy, nutrition, topical maintenance and other strategies intended to provide relief without unnecessary continuous medication.
Aliso Beach Animal Clinic is an independently owned Laguna Beach veterinary hospital. Our medical recommendations are made locally by the team examining your pet.
Paw licking is one of the most common signs of allergies in dogs, especially when several feet are involved or the dog also has ear infections or itchy skin. Infection, mites, pain and foreign material can also cause licking, so an examination is important.
Allergies and skin infections are common causes of foot licking. Anxiety-related licking more commonly creates one focused lesion on the top or outside of a lower leg, although medical causes should still be investigated.
Blood testing does not independently diagnose environmental allergy. It is most useful after environmental allergy has been clinically diagnosed and customized immunotherapy is being considered.
A food allergy is diagnosed through a strict elimination-diet trial followed by a controlled food challenge. Blood, hair and saliva tests are not considered reliable substitutes.
Most dermatologic diet trials continue for approximately eight to twelve weeks. Every treat, chew, flavored medication and other food source must be controlled for the trial to be meaningful.
Not always. Some dogs with seasonal symptoms can use intermittent or pulse treatment. Dogs with persistent allergies may be more comfortable with continuous management.
Neither is best for every dog. The choice depends on age, symptoms, infection history, other medical conditions, response to previous treatment and whether the owner prefers tablets or injections.
A bacterial or yeast infection is a common reason an allergy medication appears to stop working. Fleas, mites, food exposure or increased seasonal allergens may also cause a flare.
Yes. Steroids can provide effective short-term relief during a severe flare. They are used more cautiously for long-term treatment because repeated exposure may produce significant side effects.
No. Some superficial infections can be managed with medicated shampoos, mousses, sprays or wipes. Deep or widespread infections may require oral medication.
Food allergy can often be controlled by identifying and avoiding the triggering ingredients. Environmental allergies are usually managed rather than permanently cured. Immunotherapy may reduce sensitivity over time in selected patients.
Schedule an examination when licking, scratching or ear infections persist, repeatedly return, interrupt sleep or cause redness, odor, hair loss or open skin.
Do not assume that constant paw licking, scratching or recurring ear infections are habits your pet must live with.
Aliso Beach Animal Clinic provides individualized allergy diagnosis and treatment for dogs and cats in Laguna Beach. We evaluate environmental allergies, food allergy, flea allergy and secondary infections and create a practical treatment plan based on what your pet genuinely needs.
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Bryan Hayter, July 2026
Aliso Beach Animal Clinic
30816 Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Directly across from the Montage Laguna Beach
Monday–Friday: 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
