Licking paws is very normal behavior for dogs. However, it can become a very big problem if they do this continuously for extended periods.
If you have noticed that your dog keeps licking his paws nonstop, then you may want to take your dog to a vet.
How can I stop my dog from licking his paws? First, this could suggest an underlying disease, condition, or unnoticed injury.
Some of the factors to consider when you notice this strange behavior includes:
- Did it begin suddenly and has continued for an extended period?
- Is there observable bleeding, swelling, or limping in your dog’s body?
- Is there any foul odor coming from your dog?
It is very important that you tell your vet everything that you have noticed so far to help with the diagnosis.
How can I stop my dog from licking his paws?
If you have noticed or observed that your dog is spending too much time kicking his paws and does not seem to care about anything going on around him, then you must first understand the different possible causes of this. Once you have found out what could be causing your dog to kick his paws obsessively, then you can easily tackle this problem.
What are some causes for your dog to lick his paws?
Some of the reasons why your dog licks his paws include:
Boredom and Anxiety:
Boredom can also contribute to your dog’s obsessive behavior in kicking his paws. When dogs are bored and have nothing to do but play at home, they think of other ways to keep themselves busy and engage in an activity.
In the past, it was common for dogs to roam around freely in search of food or just to investigate and observe their environment.
While they may not be able to do that now due to modernization, there are a number of ways and things you can do to keep your dog active and engaged. Some of them include:
- By taking your dog out for walks daily
- By allowing your dog to interact and socialize with other dogs and people
- By hiring a dog sitter in your absence
- By not leaving your dog for extended periods of time
Another common cause of this behavior in dogs is anxiety. Some people cope with anxiety by biting their nails. Dogs may choose to kick their paws as a way of coping with their own anxiety. Anxiety could come in many forms including:
- separation anxiety,
- noise phobias, and
- obsessive-compulsive disorders.
Hormonal Imbalance:
Dogs that have an imbalance in their hormones also exhibit obsessive kicking of ones. This is because when there is an imbalance in the hormone of dogs, their body produces a lot of cortisol or a very low amount of thyroid hormone.
In turn, this may cause skin problems in your dog that lead to itching.
Dry Skin:
Dry skin is very common in some breeds of dogs. This may be caused by a number of reasons which may be:
- over-bathing or
- extreme weather conditions
Dry skin will eventually become itchy and your dog may begin to lick continuously so that it can reduce the itchiness.
Disadvantages of Obsessive Paw-licking
- Excessive licking of paws can cause light-colored dogs to stain their fur.
- While licking their paws, the moisture from their saliva can create a perfect environment for infections to occur. Once there is an inflammation and the area gets infected, it will provide more room for itching and cause a lot of discomfort to your dog. This will induce not licking and will not give your dog’s paws any chance to heal
- Activities or behaviors like this can become very obsessive over time. If you do not take your dog to the vet to help stop this behavior, your dog can become addicted to licking his paws, and since dogs are creatures of habit, it may become difficult to stop your dog from doing this.
What can I do to prevent my dog from licking his paws?
- Engage your dog in numerous activities and also play with your dog frequently to prevent them from getting bored.
- Observe signs such as inflammation, bleeding, redness, and pain in the area. If you notice any of these, take the dog to the vet as soon as possible
- When you notice this behavior, take your dog to the vet and also explain all the observations for a more accurate diagnosis
- You can get a cone or Elizabethan collar for your dog. This can prevent your dog from licking.
Why does my dog lick his paws?
Fleas or Ticks:
If there are fleas and ticks present in your dog, it will cause your dog to itch all the time. As a result, your dog may develop compulsive paw-licking, and even chewing as a means of reducing the itchiness.
If your dog is allergic to these fleas and ticks, this condition can get worse. Hence, it is important to look for ways to get rid of these parasites in your dog.
If you do not know how to do this, then it is recommended that you seek advice from your vet as they can prescribe effective treatments for your dog.
De-icing Salts and Cold Weather:
De-icing salts are simply defined as chemicals that are used to melt ice on driveways and roads in the winter. Many dog owners are not aware of the negative effects of de-icing salts on the paws of their dogs.
De-icing salts may lead to sore paws or chemical burns on the paws of your dog.
Meanwhile , during the cold weather or winter period, ice balls can form in between the hairy toes of your dog and this can lead to:
- cracking,
- bleeding, and
- hair pulling
All of which are extremely painful.
A great solution to this problem would be to provide pet boots for your dog whenever you are taking it outside for a walk. This can also help to prevent chemical burns.
Additionally, if ice often gets trapped between the paws of your dog, you can rub Crisco between the pads and into the fur to avoid snow from getting between the toes.
Always ensure that the hair in the area is trimmed.
Pain:
If your dog is feeling pain or irritation in one of his paws, it may cause him to kick that paw in order to soothe the pain. This is usually suspected when your dog is kicking just one paw.
Possible causes of pain in your dog’s paws could be from
- An insect bite
- Mistakenly stepping on thorns
- Small wounds or injuries caused by stepping in glass or broken nail, etch
However, if you do not notice any bleeding or injury caused by an external factor such as a glass or thorn, then you should still take your dog to the vet as this may be an indication of a bigger problem such as a fracture or muscle sprain.
Allergies:
Just like humans, dogs are allergic to certain foods, medicine, and substances in the environment, yard, weed or grass. One of the effects of an allergy is chronic licking.
Hence, you must observe your dog carefully to understand foods and substances he cannot stand or tolerate in order to address this issue.
Gastrointestinal Issues:
Gastrointestinal disorders can cause a dog to kick its paws incessantly. According to an article published by the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, it has been proven that gastrointestinal problems were always connected to dogs that had an unusual habit of constantly licking their paws.