What Are the Causes of Paw Licking in Dogs?

Paw licking in dogs can be perplexing for their owners, particularly if there are no obvious causes. A trip to the vet is a necessary first step, as it's important to rule out medical and parasitic causes for abnormal paw licking and biting. Switching to better-quality dog food may help with allergies, while giving your dog plenty of affection and stimulation is beneficial if a dog licks its paws because it is nervous or stressed.

  1. Medical Causes

    • Medical conditions including a thyroid hormone imbalance, a bacterial infection, complications from an infection, changes in brain chemistry and genetic conditions that affects connective skin tissue can cause sore or itchy paws. A simple blood test done by your veterinarian can determine possible medical causes and sometimes a course of antibiotics is all it takes to alleviate this distressing canine condition. Bacterial infections are sometimes a secondary conditin of allergies and are triggered by excessive paw licking and biting. A vet may take a bacterial culture to determine the best type of antibiotics to give a dog suffering from this condition.

    Environmental Causes

    • Household and garden pesticides, mildew and pollens as well as fleas, tics and mites can trigger an allergic reaction, causing a dog to lick its paws excessively. Parasites, such as fleas, also cause itching even if an animal doesn't develop an allergic reaction to them. Treat your dog with medication prescribed by your vet if it is infected with parasites. Blood or skin tests can identify the offending allergens. Keeping the dog inside and away from grass and plants may help to alleviate the problem.

    Psychological Causes

    • A dog may gain comfort from licking or biting its paws when it is nervous or stressed. Stress affects immune function, which can cause an allergic response to normal irritants such as dust and pollen. A dog can become stressed for a number of reasons, such as family member leaving home or being left alone. Simply hugging your pet before you leave the house and making a fuss over the animal when you return home can reduce its stress levels. Leaving soothing music or a television on when you are not home can also help. Try giving your dog plenty of praise and encouragement and provide physical and intellectual stimulation with games of catch and challenging training exercises. Ensure that children treat the dog with gentleness and respect; a nervous animal might be frightened by boisterous kids, even if they don't mean any harm.

    Dietary Causes

    • Commercial dog food ingredients, including corn, wheat and meat by-products, are suspecting of causing allergies because dogs don't digest complex carbohydrates the same way human do. Try switching to a different brand of dog food. Give the new food regime at least a couple of weeks, as it take time for dietary changes to have a noticeable benefit. A deficiency of fatty acids also can affect a dog's blood chemistry and skin health. Talk to your vet about fish oil and flaxseed supplements and ensure your dog's diet is high in good-quality protein. Inflamed ears and hair loss are additional symptoms of food allergies.