What Does It Mean If A Dog Licks His Paws

Camila Farah

If you notice this type of licking in addition to other symptoms like sores redness or a slimy often smelly discharge have your dog checked out by the vet right away. But when your dog licks or chews too much even if their paws don t look dirty then it is time to start looking for the underlying cause for their behavior. If your dog suddenly starts licking their paws then it is usually indicative of pain or irritation especially if they are licking only one paw.

Often times excessive licking of the paws is due to one of three underlying causes.

This is considered healthy and normal. Paw licking is a common behavior in dogs but a healthy dog should not excessively paw lick and a history of excessive licking could be a red flag for a more serious problem. Why dogs lick their paws. If the licking is limited to one paw then this often suggests that the source of trouble is right there on the paw.

Frequent licking can lead to skin irritation and the action could mean your pet is already uncomfortable. In many instances it is harmless but when the licking becomes excessive a solution is needed. As with humans a dog s experience of boredom is subjective. This would explain why a dog may lick their paws if they are bored.

If your dog is a fastidious groomer you may notice him licking his paws after meals while settling down for a nap or after coming in from outdoors after meals. Paw licking is a common behavior for dogs. Flea allergy dermatitis often abbreviated fad. Not only does excessive licking cause discomfort for your dog but it is often due to an underlying medical problem.

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As we have mentioned dogs may lick their paws to make themselves feel better e g. Even dogs that don t do a lot of self grooming will occasionally clean their paws. While it s true they might simply be grooming themselves paw chewing could indicate something more going on if they are doing it all the time. Dogs tend to clean their paws by licking or chewing them when dirty.

Ears can itch and or become infected runny nose and watery eyes can be present but less frequently. Similar to felines some dogs also like to lick their paws to clean their faces. The second most common reason why dogs lick their paws is allergies lucas says. Boredom actually increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol and paw licking reduces that stress hormone.

Yeast infections which are primarily caused by an allergy tend to begin either in a dog s ears or in their paws. Atopy the equivalent of hay fever in people food allergies. Red and inflamed paw pads from excessive licking and chewing brown saliva stains on paw pads due to excessive licking shaking head and ears. Dogs typically lick their paws as a part of self grooming.

If the paw pads and feet appear normal the licking could be due to a skin condition dermatitis which often is the result of bacterial problems allergies or food sensitivities.