Hey everyone

My boy is a white stafford, he has a wheat and gluten allergy which is kept well under control with monitored food and ingredients etc.
But he is getting really bad for biting his nails, sometimes to the point of ripped nails and sore pads :-(
He is exercised twice every day, fed wellbeloveds and butchers and has a happy attitude and good outlets for boredom. (springpole etc)

What do you think could be causing this?

Any help appreciated as I dont like have to keep telling him no for doing it (which can be ten times a day), Id rather find the cause and stop it alltogether!
We have used bitter apple spray and it doesnt work he just nibbles through it, he has sensitive skin shampoo as we thought this might help too but no.

Please help!!

Biting and pulling at nails is a sure sign of an allergy.  Have you had his allergy confirmed by any tests?. Could he be allergic to something else aswell?   My bitch has a HDM allergy and is on medication to control her itching and nibbling along with a natural diet.  If her medication needs tweaking, even for short periods,  the first sign is feet and nail itching and nibbling.  Its horrible to see, poor thing, especially when it looks like she is trying to pull out her nails.

Good luck

thank you barking mad :-)

We had lots of tests done but they couldnt confirm what it was, skin scraped the lot but they couldnt give a remedy.

Then I took him for a nail clipping and out of the blue the lady asked if we feed him bonio and markies etc (foods which arent wheat and gluten free) I said yes as we did, she said to stop as his muzzle was a little red and he had itchy patches, we stopped these foods instantly and within a week his rash had gone and he was back to daz white and no itching (he was itching so bad he made scabs and cuts and red raw patches)
Now it seems to flare up every now and then no where near as bad tho just the nail nibbling and the vets still have no idea on what it is, the lady gave us sound advice which the vets didnt, but do you think it could also be something else?

xx

I would have a blood test done - my dogs results were positive to HDM and flea saliva.  A strict elemination diet could help you work out what if any the food intolerances are - long winded and very strict but this could be done without any vets fee's.  Skin scrapings can be inconclusive but blood tests are more accurate.  If it were me, I would see another vet and ask if they could get to the bottom of it, after all, allergies don't go away and this could be a problem you will have for the whole of the dogs life, also, very distressing for the dog.  Good luck