15
Dec
Why Does My Dog Constantly Lick Its Paws. Once inflammation or an infection sets in a vicious cycle can form. Atopy inhalant allergies is the most common cause for excessive paw licking and nail chewing in dogs. Boredom actually increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol and paw licking reduces that stress hormone. Sometimes excessive licking may cause moisture to become trapped between the dogs toes creating an ideal setting for an opportunistic infection.
Dogs sometimes lick or even chew their paws too much to nurse an injury like a puncture or wound on their toe pads a fractured toe or claw or they may be a splinter burr or any foreign object in his paw. Inflammation and infection can cause discomfort and itching and this can cause your dog to lick their paws even more. If licked further and undetected the area hardens up and sometimes the skin breaks and bleeds. Like in humans airborne allergens often cause intense itchiness. This is a sore which results from excessive licking of the paw or foot area where dogs first lose their fur then the skin becomes so raw it ulcerates and starts to bleed explains Dr. When your dog keeps licking its paw continuously and obsessively the body hairs in that area start falling off and exposes the skin which then becomes red and shiny.
These allergies cause overstimulation on your dogs skin so they lick and bite at it to try to alleviate some of the pain or discomfort.
Dogs then lick and chew their paws to relieve the atopy itchies. Atopy inhalant allergies is the most common cause for excessive paw licking and nail chewing in dogs. As we have mentioned dogs may lick their paws to make themselves feel better eg. Dogs may also engage in nail biting. Dogs sometimes lick or even chew their paws too much to nurse an injury like a puncture or wound on their toe pads a fractured toe or claw or they may be a splinter burr or any foreign object in his paw. Allergic disease is rather common in dogs and is a common cause of licking and biting their paws.