Angel my beige colored Bichon Shih Tzu

by Sharon Densmore
(Nanaimo BC Canada)

She has been beige with tones a little darker when her curly hair is a bit long.

She recently has changed color on all four paws to a darkish red. Checked her paws they are fine but she does lick them a lot.

Her butt hasn't changed!! At first thought, she had got into something cause it changed overnight.

Haven't taken her to vet yet thought you might have an answer. She is eight years old. Thank you so much.

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Hi, Janice here from Miracle Shih Tzu
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What you are describing sounds like a color change due to her licking her paws. Check on the pads of her paw as often if the hair hasn't been trimmed in awhile it will actually mat between her paw pads.

She could also have a tiny pebble or bit of dirt that has stuck to her feet. Also, make sure that all of her nails are trimmed and there isn't any cuts or scratches on the paws.

The red color comes from the saliva that she uses when licking.

If there isn't anything that you can see that is wrong with the paw, the other option is that she has gotten into a habit that she can't break.

The only place that a dog sweat is on their foot pads. If it is really hot where you are, she might be feeling the sweat on her pads.

The only other darkish red coloration I've ever seen was a puppy that I had gotten years ago. It was due to the sandy soil that she played in and then stained her coat. It took several months to get rid of that color.

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I hold an undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in biology, Early Childhood Education, and Nursing, and a Master's in Mental Health Counseling.

I'm a lifelong learner, a dog lover, and passionate about the welfare of animals. Though Shih Tzu is my favorite breed, I've also lived with Poodles, Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, Beagles, English Bulldogs, Carin Terriers, and a Cocker Spaniel. Little critters that shared my space included guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, hamsters, mice, tropical fish, and birds. (Oh, and one crayfish and hermit crab that my daughter brought home from school)

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