Does your dog lick their paws frequently during the day? Find out what are the reasons for this compulsive behavior.
Why dogs lick their paws
Excessive paw licking can be related to many different reasons, but all are indicative of a physical or psychological discomfort. The most frequent reasons are explained below.
– Dogs feel pain
One of the reasons dogs lick their paws is pain. This can be focused only on a part of the paw, if the pet is only licking one area, or it can be general. The pain that the animal feels could also come from a wound, fracture, irritation or even a distortion of the muscule.
In this case it is always good to contact your vet in order to intervene promptly.
– The dog has an allergy.
Allergies can have many causes. Food, chemical or pollen allergies are just some of the possible ones. It is not always easy to understand the reason that triggered that irritation, but it is advisable to carry out analyzes to investigate the problem.
– The dog is bored.
If a dog is bored, he may seek new stimuli, even in very simple actions such as licking his paws. To avoid this discomfort, walk your dog several times throughout the day. This will help keep him moving and overcome possible boredom.
– The dog is anxious.
Just like us humans, dogs can also suffer from anxiety and agitation. In cases like these, obsessive-compulsive disorders can develop in pets. It is not always easy to understand the causes of this state of anxiety. For this it is good to talk to your veterinarian, so as to avoid unpleasant complications.
– The dog has fleas or ticks.
Fleas and ticks also lead dogs to aggressively scratch the skin and sometimes even to lick them self. If this is the cause of the problem, use specific products to block the proliferation of parasites and make your pet feel better.
– The dog has dry skin.
Dry skin is a very common feature in dogs. Especially in those breeds that have little or no hair. It usually affects pets living in environments whose climate is rather cold and rigid but it is not certain that other animals living in more temperate areas cannot suffer from it. In these case, it is necessary to contact your veterinarian in order to give the dog some oils suitable for dry skin.
– The dog requires attention
Giving little attention to our dog and taking care of him only when he is sick could be counterproductive. This is because dogs understand that, being sick, they can have all our attention. Therefore, it is important to always take care of our dog, and not only when they are sick. It is necessary to dedicate time to them every day, through playing or cuddling for example, so that they always feel important.
In general, if the dog licks their paws very regularly it means that they are manifesting an uncomfortable situation. For this reason, it is good to discuss with your vet to fully understand the cause of the problem and act in time.