What Does It Mean When Your Dog Licks His Paws

Olivia Luz

A dog who is continuously licking his paw may be experiencing pain but not necessarily in the paw. Allergies and parasites can cause itchy paws and aggressive licking. If the licking is limited to one paw then this often suggests that the source of trouble is right there on the paw.

Per the west suburban humane society in chicago many dogs that feel pain anywhere in their body.

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 can be allergic to. Licking one paw may indicate a sudden injury. Dogs tend to clean their paws by licking or chewing them when dirty.

An easy sign to miss but dogs licking paws is regularly associated with allergies. Often times excessive licking of the paws is due to one of three underlying causes. These can be signs of infection and will need to be looked at by the vet. Occasional paw licking is normal.

Dogs typically lick their paws as a part of self grooming. 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. Atopy the equivalent of hay fever in people food allergies. Excessive paw licking could be the first symptom of an allergic reaction on your dog and it could progress to other parts of the body so it is important to check this with your vet as soon as you spot it.

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Similar to felines some dogs also like to lick their paws to clean their faces. Be alert for any odors open wounds or skin breakdown from the excessive licking and chewing. Even dogs that don t do a lot of self grooming will occasionally clean their paws. Flea allergy dermatitis often abbreviated fad.

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. If you notice your dog excessively licking their paws after going for a walk it may be an allergy to something in their environment grass pesticides or plants. Along with your dog s paw pads and in between the toes some other common areas of canine atopic dermatitis include. 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.

This is considered healthy and normal. Not only does excessive licking cause discomfort for your dog but it is often due to an underlying medical problem. Mites such as dust mites. 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.