Dogs Lick or bite their paws .If you are the proud owner of a dog, you have certainly already observed that sometimes quite excessively, which can even go so far as to cause the dog to bite his paws quite violently. But why is he doing this? Should we be worried? Let’s see together the causes and origins of this behavior and the solutions to adopt to remedy this problem and relieve your pet.
Why do dogs constantly lick their paws?
If your dog licks his paws very frequently, even excessively, you should try to find out why because this type of behavior can have several causes:
- it hurts: your dog is in pain and tries to soothe the pain by licking the painful area. This may be due to an injury, even a small one, or the presence of a foreign body (the spikelets are very painful). could have been stung or by an insect during a walk.
- is itchy and tries to soothe this feeling of “itchiness” by licking his paw
- also he has an allergic reaction: you should know that a food allergy often results in a skin infection, which causes itching, hence the licking of paws to calm these sensations.
- his skin is dry: just like us, dogs can have dry skin, especially in winter or in regions where the climate is arid. Since they can’t moisturize their skin with lotion, dogs lick themselves to relieve the itching it causes. A dog with dry skin may be lacking fatty acids in his diet. Talk to your veterinarian.
- the dog is stressed: be careful if you observe this behavior very frequently, it may be an OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). The dog is anxious, upset by a situation and licks his paws to release his stress
he is bored: a dog who is not sufficiently stimulated (physically, mentally but also olfactorily) can compulsively lick himself to occupy himself. This also allows him to attract the attention of his master.
Why does my dog bite his paw?
As for compulsive licking, if you see that your dog is biting or even biting his paws on a regular basis, the causes are almost the same as if he licks his paws, namely: presence of a foreign body, sting of insect, allergic phenomena (food, allergy to flea bites or contact allergy to certain chemicals) which cause severe itching, or even the development of bacteria, fungi or parasites in the pads.
Also check that there is no development of a mass in the leg. Embarrassed by this growth, the dog bites his paw to make it disappear. Finally, your dog may have pain or joint problems that make him suffer and bite his paws to relieve himself.
Be careful, however, because if your dog bites his paws compulsively, this can also reflect real discomfort. If you do not observe any of the physical problems mentioned below, then it is an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a sign of psychological suffering in your animal. An adopted dog can sometimes develop this kind of behavior because he may have been the victim of neglect which has amplified anxiety and fear.
It is important to act quickly, by consulting your veterinarian or a canine behaviorist, because some dogs self-mutilate which causes bacterial infections.
How do I prevent my dog from licking or biting his paw?
If your dog exhibits compulsive licking or excessive paw biting, the first thing to do is to consult your veterinarian.
He will start by treating the lesions, if this is the case, and can then put on a collar, a sock or a bandage to prevent the dog from mutilating himself even more.
Then, depending on the diagnosis made, the veterinarian can put in place a specific treatment (antibiotic, antifungal or antiparasitic), especially if your dog has an allergic condition or a contact reaction. If the allergy is food, then he will prescribe an elimination diet to determine what your dog is allergic to.
If, on the other hand, the problem is psychological (boredom, stress, OCD, etc.), it will be necessary to consult a canine behaviorist. But you will certainly have to change your companion’s lifestyle: spend more on him physically and mentally, play with him in order to occupy him. Like humans, dogs sometimes need anxiolytics for a while, which facilitates behavioral therapy. Your veterinarian will know how to relieve your dog, do not hesitate to talk to him about it.
As you have understood, a dog that compulsively licks or bites its paws necessarily presents a problem, physical or psychological. Consult quickly to your veterinarian to prevent an infection from developing because without treatment, the dog will continue to lick or bite himself to heal himself and will then enter a vicious circle from which it will be difficult to get out.
