Discovering the reason why a dog does things can sometimes be difficult … but many others, very simple. Why does my dog lick its paws? This question is probably one of the most heard on our blog and that, however, has some simple answers that anyone can deduce with the clues that we are going to give you.
From pure hygiene to light wounds without leaving aside the more than known allergies … it is strange to see a dog that does not normally lick its paws. Some confuse this with the licks that are often given in their private parts or to other dogs, but the truth is that it has nothing to do. The reasons are clearly different on many occasions, so we will review them.
Index of contents
- 1 Allergies are the main reason why a dog licks its paws
- 2 Lack of hygiene can lead to our dog licking its paws
- 3 Wounds or injuries to your feet are also a reason to lick
- 4 Vitamin absorption occurs when they lick their paws
Allergies are the main reason why a dog licks its paws
One of the main reasons a dog licks its paws is allergy. Even if he doesn’t show other symptoms in the rest of his body, many dogs suffer small allergic outbreaks They are manifested by itching and reddening of the legs.
For this reason, due to the annoying itching that occurs, they begin to lick and even bite their own legs in order to relieve themselves. But the truth is that this act provides little relief, so we could interpret it as a sign to observe so that we, its owners, realize that something is wrong.
The allergic reason can be very varied, from a specific date such as spring where allergic outbreaks rebound in all living things, to a food allergy or to some product used on the grass or ground where they usually walk, walk or play.
Appreciating an allergy in the paws of our dog is simple, we must check all its paws and observe if its pads or skin of the paws is reddened, with yagas or rashes. If so, we must go to a veterinaryn to prescribe the necessary corticosteroids in relation to their weight and severity.
Lack of hygiene can lead to our dog licking its paws
Although we usually bathe our beloved dogs on a regular basis, partly for their own hygiene and partly for ours since sometimes they give off very strong odors… the truth is that the dogs themselves also clean regularly.
It is not strange to see a dog licking its legs from the base to the hoof, to then continue with its tripe, its tail, its parts … Many times we worry about seeing our dog licking his paws when all he does is wash.
If it does it very regularly, we should simply check its legs to rule out any of the other reasons stated on this website. Some dogs are washed once a month and others are washed daily … each dog is a world !!
Wounds or injuries to your feet are also a reason to lick
We must not forget that dogs are somewhat impulsive … while they run and play, they greatly strain all their muscles, joints and tendons. It is not the first time that a dog, simply by playing a little or running, has broken the crossed ligaments of the paws, or some muscle of the area.
When dogs notice pain, they lick and probably limp a bit too, even if only sometimes (and other times, it seems that they are fine). But the truth is that the damage is there, and it can be something slight and temporary or something serious that requires rehabilitation or even surgical intervention.
The possibility that something has been nailed to the legs, under the pads or between the fingers like a spike or sharp stone… The spikes of many plants, the wood chips or even the small and sharp stones can make an impression on our dogs.
A small to medium ulcer on their paws caused by a bad skid or a rough scratch can also cause them to lick.
Vitamin absorption occurs when they lick their paws
Oddly enough, dogs often lick their paws to absorb the vitamins the sun provides.
Humans metabolize vitamin D when the sun shines on us through the skinbut the dogs don’t. In them, this vitamin accumulates in the superficial fat that its fur contains so that it is not automatically absorbed.
That is why they often lick their legs without any sense, neither for hygiene, nor for allergies or ulcers … simply because they are absorbing the vitamin D that the sun has left in their bodies. You can get more info here: How the sun affects our dogs
In short, the best way to find out the reason why our dog licks its paws, is undoubtedly by conducting an in-depth review to see if it is for someone else’s reason, for an allergy or simply for personal hygiene.