Why Does My Dog Lick Her Paws?

It is common for dogs to lick their paws as a part of self-grooming. If you notice your dog licking her paws occasionally, it is probably nothing to worry about. However, it is not normal for your dog to be licking her paws frequently or aggressively. If this is occurring, you should inspect her paws for foreign objects that might have lodged into her paws or look for cuts, bruise, or other minor injuries. If you don’t identify any of these things or there are serious items, then you should seek the advice of a veterinarian.

Below we will cover some of the most common causes for your dog to lick their paws. Look for these before going to the veterinarian so you could do minor self-first aid.

Common Causes for Paw Licking

·        Allergies,

·        Anxiety,

·        Boredom,

·        Dry Skin,

·        Flea and Tick,

·        Injuries/Pain,

·        Obsessive Behavior.

Allergies

Causes of Allergies

There are three main causes of skin allergies in dogs:

·        Flea/Tick allergy dermatitis,

·        Food allergies,

·        Environmental allergens.

All allergies pose challenges for dogs. Many of these allergies make the dogs paws pads itch. When the paw pads itch, our dogs lick them to provide some relief. 

Flea/Tick Allergy Dermatitis

Flea/Tick allergy dermatitis is an allergic reaction to flea bites, flea saliva and ticks. Some dogs are allergic to flea saliva. This makes affected dogs extremely itchy, and their skin may become red, inflamed, and scabbed. You may also notice the fleas and ticks on different parts of the bodies of the dogs. Licking the paws is a form of smoothing.

Food Allergies

Food allergies can cause itchy skin. The most common places dogs with food allergies itch are their ears and their paws. Once again, the dog might lick and chew on their paws as a form of soothing. Sometimes these allergies are difficult to pinpoint. You can try changing the dog’s diet. This site has some helpful tips about feeding your dog. The most common food dogs are allergic to are chicken, beef, grain, and dairy. Try to eliminate one of these items from the diet and see if you notice a difference. Last step is to see a veterinarian. A veterinarian can run a blood test to find out want the dog is allergic to.

In the spirit of transparency, if you click on any of the links in this article then purchase something, I will receive a commission. You will not pay anything extra for the product, the company pays me the commission.

Environmental allergens

Environmental allergens, such as dust and pollen can cause an atopic allergic reaction. These allergies are usually seasonal, so you may only notice your dog itching during certain times of the year. If symptoms occur at a certain time of year and your dog starts licking their paws, then you know you have seasonal allergies in combination with another type of allergy. More than likely the other allergen is an environmental allergy. The most affected areas are the paws and ears. Once again, the dog might lick and chew on their paws as a form of soothing. 

Environmental allergies can cover everything from grass, pesticides or plants, to the cleaning products we use in our homes, and dust and mold. It covers a wide spectrum. One method to see if your dog has an environmental allergy to grass, plants, or pesticides is to rinse your dog off when returning from a walk to see if this improves their symptoms. If it does, then you know the cause of her licking her paws.

Anxiety

Yes, our dogs can suffer from anxiety. When they become anxious, they may often try to find relief by licking themselves excessively. The problem with the excessive licking is that it can cause other obsessive-compulsive disorders. Dogs may lick themselves raw and develop unsightly ulcers often referred to as ''lick granuloma."

Dogs may often lick their paws before bed or lick themselves to sleep. This is just their way of relaxing and soothing themselves. If there is no redness or swelling, this type of paw-licking should not be a concern.

All skin allergies can pose the risk of secondary infection. As your dog scratches, bites, and licks at his skin, he risks opening his skin to yeast and bacterial infections that may require treatment.

Unfortunately, when our dogs lick their paws, the paws stay wet and this can cause bacterial or fungal infections of the paws. However, sometimes they are become secondary to original allergies. These infections must be treated separately. Consult your veterinarian for other recommend treatments.

Some symptoms of dog anxieties:

·        Barking, 

·        Excessive licking,

·        Hiding,

·        Pacing, 

·        Panting,

·        Trembling.

Experts say dog anxiety the two most common dog anxieties are noise anxiety and separation anxiety. However, there are others too.

Types of Dog Anxieties

·        Boredom,

·        Dry Skin,

·        Flea and Tick,

·        Injuries/Pain,

·        Noise,

·        Obsessive Behavior,

·        Separation.

You can also train your dog to overcome some of these anxieties. I have researched some training programs and I think I found the best one. It provides training courses to boost intelligence, obedience, and behavior. It has over 100 articles tackling a huge range of behavior problems. You can find it at this link.

In the spirit of transparency, if you click on any of the links in this article then purchase something, I will receive a commission. You will not pay anything extra for the product, the company pays me the commission.

Boredom

Today dogs have many reasons to get bored. Their owners seem to be working more hours thereby leaving the dogs alone longer. People come home tired and play less with their dogs. A lot of us have moved into the city and therefore have smaller yards or some of us have no yards. This leads to no area for our dogs to exercise during the day. All of this leads to boredom for your dogs. 

Before, our dogs were used to having areas to play in, taking long walks, some were used to hunting, now we leave them in small yards or worse case crates. We take them on short walks because we are tired.   We don’t play with them like we used to. Many times, this leads to our dogs to lick their paws in frustration.

Ways to Eliminate Boredom

·        Allow your dog to socialize with other people and other dogs.

·        Don't leave your dog at home alone for long periods of time.

·        Leave your dog some dog toys to play with.

·        Permit your dog to roam in your backyard.

·        Play with your dog for at least 30 minutes each day.

·        Take your dog for a walk every day.

·        Give your dog a good rub down each day.

Once again you can also train your dog to overcome some of these anxieties. I have researched some training programs and I think I found the best one. It provides training courses to boost intelligence, obedience, and behavior. It has over 100 articles tackling a huge range of behavior problems. You can find it at this link.

In the spirit of transparency, if you click on any of the links in this article then purchase something, I will receive a commission. You will not pay anything extra for the product, the company pays me the commission.

Dry Skin

One of the most common dog skin ailments is dry skin.  It causes a dog's skin to become irritated, cracked and flaky (dandruff). Some symptoms of dry skin can include itchiness, flaky skin, fur loss, red or bumpy scabs, and dandruff.

Causes of Dry Skin

·        A dry environment,

·        Allergies,

·        Living in a cold and dry climate,

·        Over-bathing,

·        Use of harsh soaps.

 Cures of Dry Skin

·        A natural dog lotion or oil to relieve the dryness,

·        Avoid excessive bathing,

·        Avoid the use of harsh soaps,

·        Consult a vet,

·        Feeding them quality vitamins,

·        Oil supplements.

Flea and Tick

Fleas and ticks can cause severe itchiness that can lead to compulsive paw licking and chewing. Besides the irritation that the fleas and ticks cause, our dogs’ immune system overreacts to flea saliva and gets a condition called flea allergy dermatitis (FAD).  The first thing you will notice is hair loss along your dog’s neck, spine and thighs in addition to excessive paw licking. Dogs will lick the affected area to sooth the itch. Or to get rid of the fleas or ticks. 

You should try to rid your house of the fleas and ticks. Vacuum all surfaces, paying attention to the areas next to walls and corners, and under furniture. Clean the furniture, especially cloth furniture, and launder any bedding the dog sleeps on. Spray your house with insecticides if your dog isn’t allergic to them. Consult your veterinarian for other recommend treatments.

Injuries/Pain

Dogs take to licking their paws as a form of soothing for pain. If they are licking their paws, you should immediately check that paw for any foreign objects on their pads lick stones, thorns, grass seeds, blades of grass, small twigs, bee stings, etc. Also look for blisters, cuts, and growths. Look thoroughly. You might be able to take care of these by a little first aid. If not, take your dog to the veterinarian for treatment.

If you don’t see anything, that doesn’t mean nothing is wrong. Your dog might have overexerted itself and sprained itself. In this case, you need to take your dog to the veterinarian for treatment. 

Noise

How many times have your dog run and hid in a closet or under your bed when there was a thunderstorm? Or on the 4th of July or News Years? They were afraid of the loud noises the fireworks make. The loud noises frighten them.

Obsessive Behavior

Dogs who compulsively lick or chew at certain parts of their body, like their paws, may have allergies, a skin infection, or orthopedic pain. After this problem is healed and they continue licking and chewing their paws, this behavior might have progressed into canine compulsive disorder (CCD). CCD is a way that dogs seek to comfort themselves in times of stress. You need to find ways to eliminate the stress. If this behavior continues, seek the advice of a veterinarian.

Once again you can also train your dog to overcome some of these anxieties. I have researched some training programs and I think I found the best one. It provides training courses to boost intelligence, obedience, and behavior. It has over 100 articles tackling a huge range of behavior problems. You can find it at this link.

In the spirit of transparency, if you click on any of the links in this article then purchase something, I will receive a commission. You will not pay anything extra for the product, the company pays me the commission.

Separation

Our dogs are used to our companionship. Separation anxiety is the most common form of anxiety. They don’t like to be left alone. Before you are going to leave your dog for a period, take them for a long walk. This will show them that you love them, and it will also tire them out.

Summary

Why does my dog lick her paws was a little more complicated than I thought it was going to be to answer? There were many areas that I didn’t think about. 

Paw licking can be a sign of allergy, anxiety, boredom, dry skin, hormone imbalances, noise, pain, behavioral problems, separation, or the presence of fleas or ticks. Or even a combination of these. If one of these aren’t taken care of properly and quickly, it could cause a much more serious condition to occur. 

In response to any of these, our dogs might lick their paws to sooth themselves.  This brings them comfort. However, excessive licking can lead to other problems. Our dogs can lick themselves so much that they lick their fur off, cause diseases like canine compulsive disorder, or cause themselves to bleed. Thereby causing a trip to the veterinarian.

You must keep a close eye on your dog if they are licking themselves too much.  Try to eliminate some of the causes mentioned above to see if that helps. If you can’t correct the problem quickly, then you should seek the advice of a veterinarian.

I tried in include some tips that you could follow for some of the easier problems. I hope these tips help.