Herman licks his paws also. I have tried “Gold Seal Sea Meal” powder with his food and it helped a little. Contacting your vet is a must in my opinion. I was lucky enough to find a local vet that owns a pit-mix himself, and has a great deal of expertise in bullys. Habitual chewing can sometimes lead to infections, your vet could tell if that was the case. I feel you on the $$$ thing. My pockets are not deep either. The costs can be scary. I wish you the best.
