It’s a point of concern when your dog incessantly and obsessively starts to lick their paws. It’s greater concern when your little furry friend loses interest in everything around them and only focuses on licking their paws. There are many reasons why this could be happening so pay close attention to your dog’s behaviour to narrow down the possibilities. At Concord Vets we invest in making sure that every dog lives a long and healthy life. If you have any worries or concerns, don’t hesitate to call us right away to remove all your concerns and worries.
The main reasons why a dog starts to obsessively lick or chew their paws are as follows: allergies, boredom, GI issues, displacement issues, dry skin, fleas and ticks, pain, anxiety and as a result of hormonal imbalance. We will take a look at some of these in more detail.
⦁ Pain
Typically, when a dog is in pain or is irritated, this is associated with licking one paw only. The pain could be as a result of injury, insect bites or a broken nail. Other specific signs to look out for include licking and limping. If this happens, call us at Concord Vets and we will treat your dog so that there is quick recovery and resolution of the obsessive licking
⦁ Yeast Infection/ Allergies
Incessant licking that is as a result of allergies could be caused by virtually anything. It could be a food allergen, chemicals that are used in the backyard, carpet cleaning products or even weeds that you have around the house. Finding the cause of the allergy can be an ordeal but figuring it out sooner rather than later will save your pet from unnecessary discomfort.
If you think the licking could be caused by a yeast infection, this could be linked to poor nutrition. A way to confirm this is if the licking is paired with increased hair loss. The solution to this is to just talk to your vet and look for alternative food for your dog. Make sure that you choose quality foods that are rich in nutrients.
⦁ Anxiety
If your dog is experiencing some anxiety, they may try to find relief in licking themselves. The causes for anxiety in dogs are many and include separation anxiety, boredom, depression or being in an unfamiliar environment. The human behaviour equivalent of this type of excessive licking is nail biting. This may result in lick granulomas that need to be treated straight away. Try and find the source of the anxiety so that you can reduce the anxiety and you can alleviate the problem.
For more information on the other causes of excessive licking, call us at Concord Vets.