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Paw-licking among dogs is normal. However, excessive licking may be due to some underlying reasons, including infections, a defence mechanism against stress or anxiety, or injuries. It's crucial to identify the main reason to tackle the licking and ensure your pet’s comfort and well-being.
Excessive licking refers to a condition in which the dog licks itself or objects so often that it results in adverse effects, such as hair loss, reddened skin, pimple-like eruptions, and discolouration.
Moreover, there could be a discharge, limping, sleeplessness, or some changes in one of the dog's behaviours. It differs from normal grooming in that it is compulsive and persistent, with the dog not being able to stop those excessive activities and annoying effects.
This guide covers the most common causes and offers advice on what to do next.
Normal behaviours in dogs, such as routine grooming and licking, are considered healthy. They are meant to keep the coat and skin clean, to clean wounds and to help manage parasites or minor skin irritation.
However, it becomes a problem once licking becomes excessive, causing physical injury or resulting in behavioural distress. At that point, intervention by a veterinarian and/or a behaviourist should occur to investigate and treat any underlying causes.
Paw licking in dogs can be a common sign of behavioural or medical conditions. Some common causes include allergies, injury, parasites, infection, pain, and behavioural factors.
Environmental allergies: Dogs can be allergic to pollen, grasses, dust mites, moulds, and household chemicals. These danders cause itching and irritation after outdoor exposure, notably on the paws.
Food allergies: Some dogs will develop an allergic reaction to certain food ingredients, such as chicken, beef, dairy, wheat, soy, or eggs. These allergens can cause itchy paws, leading to paw licking.
Parasites (fleas, mites, ticks): Flea bites trigger intense itching and discomfort, leading the dog to lick and bite its paws and any affected areas. These parasites are the most common intruders on the paws and neighbouring areas, which stimulate irritation and paw licking.
Yeast or bacterial infection: Constant licking can cause moist skin to become infected with secondary bacterial or fungal (yeast) infections quickly. Paw licking could result from redness, swelling, odour, or irritation.
Dry or irritated skin: Dogs lick their dry pawsfor relief from itchiness and irritation due to environmental factors or excessive bathing, humidity, or some allergies.
Foreign Objects (splinters, thorns): Any splinters, thorns, or small pebbles stuck in between the pads or toes of a dog's paw, irritating the animal so much that it starts licking it. This licking, in turn, helps it to clean the area and soothe the injury instinctively.
Boredom or Severe Anxiety: Stress and extreme anxiety, boredom, separation anxiety, compulsive disorders, and Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (dog dementia, excessive paw licking may also be indicated in older dogs), can cause excessive paw licking in dogs..
Injury or pain: Painful conditions like cuts, scratches, stings, splinters, or burns from hot surfaces or chemicals can lead a dog to lick its paws for relief. Joint pain, especially in older dogs, can also lead to paw licking as a way to relieve pain.
Dermatitis: An environmental factor, overbathing, humidity, and allergies can lead to dry irritated skin, which causes a dog to lick its paw for relief from itchiness and irritation. In atopic dermatitis or chronic skin disease, the dog will often suffer recurrent infections that need to be treated medically.
If your dog licks its paws to get comfort, it is important to first try to determine and remedy the underlying cause. Afterwards, do supportive measures to relieve discomfort or minimise further damage.
Examine the paws: Look for possible injuries, foreign objects, splinters, thorns, cuts, swelling, or redness, and any discharges or odour that would indicate an infection.
Cleaning and protecting the paws: After walks, rinse the paws with lukewarm water to eliminate allergens and other irritants, as drying can prevent fungal or bacterial infections.
Soothing balm or moisturiser: Quality dog-safe paw balm or moisturiser should be applied to dry, itchy, or irritated skin.
Behavioural support: More stimulation for the dog will help avert boredom, which then leads to licking from anxiety. Enrich the environment with puzzle toys, increase exercise, and promote calm.
Use natural calming aids if anxiety-related: Apply repellent like bitter apple spray or diluted citric juice to the paws to stop the licking. However, do not use it on injured or inflamed paws.
Immediate and targeted action, including treatment for the dog, can stop the progression of excessive paw licking and associated health issues. Early intervention at this point could halt any further discomfort, infection, or behaviour problems, ensuring the dog remains comfortable and in good health.
Excessive paw licking in dogs can indicate multiple underlying issues, some of which might require veterinary intervention. Knowing when to present one's dog to the veterinarianwill help ensure proper and timely diagnosis and treatment, and prevent subsequent complications, if any.
Signs of redness, swelling, or bleeding: Never ignore any signs of redness, swelling, or bleeding in your dog's paw. It could be a possible injury, infection, or some other condition requiring veterinary examination or treatment. Not addressing the issue may cause serious complications, worsen the pain, and prolong healing.
Persistent or worsening licking:If you've seen your dog licking its paws for days to weeks without any external wound or severe pain, and the behaviour persists, it's advisable to take them to see a vet.
Signs of infection (discharge, odour): The moist, discoloured, or foul-smelling paws due to excess licking might be bacterial or yeast infections, which require immediate treatment.
Limping or signs of pain: Hurting, limping, pus, oozing wounds, or sores in dogs should be seen by a vet immediately.
If you notice obvious injury, inflammation, or pain, take your dog immediately to the vet. Prolonged paw licking for no obvious reason warrants a veterinary examination to look for possible underlying causes, such as allergies, parasites, or chronic skin problems.
While some normal licking behaviour may seem insignificant, keeping track of it and taking your dog in for regular check-ups may help intervene before problem behaviours escalate. Share any thoughts with your vet regarding licking behaviour, as this too will promote your pet's health.
Lightly licking the paws on occasion is normal behaviour, or it may be for cleaning or comfort. Agitation, frequent paw-licking, or harmful paw-licking is not normal behaviour and should be evaluated by a veterinarian for possible underlying causes.
Yes, dogs may lick their paws due to anxiety. Paw-licking behaviour is a form of self-soothing for dogs, an outlet for stress, boredom, separation anxiety, or fear. This behaviour may be maintained and carried out in fairly high frequency temporarily for comfort, but may develop into a compulsive habit if the underlying anxiety is not treated.
To determine whether the licking of the paws in your dog is due to allergies or anything else, clinical signs are observed. Additionally, a diagnostic process with thorough examination and veterinary consultation is taken care of.
Several natural and vet-approved home remedies soothe and comfort, allowing the healing of irritated dog paws. This consists of several baking soda preparations, such as a paste or soak, an Epsom salt soak, a colloidal oatmeal bath, and an herbal tea soak.
Using the cone to prevent licking of the paws can be useful. It’s necessary, especially when the licking problem is causing or risking further injury or infection, or interfering with healing.
