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Last Updated on March 20, 2024 by Thee Puppypreneur
WHY DO DOGS LICK THEIR PAWS?
There could be many different reasons why your dog is licking their paws. Is it just one paw or are they licking all their paws? Pododermatitis is the technical name for when your dogs paws or skin are inflamed. 1Canine pododermatitis – PMC (nih.gov)
A dog licking its paws or a dog chewing paws is a sign that something is bothering your dog, whether it be an allergy to something or maybe there is something stuck in their paw or maybe your dog has mange which is caused by a mite you can’t see with your eyes.
Whatever the reason we are going to discuss some dog paw licking remedies to help with the comfort pf your dog.
REASONS YOUR DOG IS LICKING OR CHEWING THEIR PAWS
ALLERGIES
Another reason for why do dogs lick their paws is that your dog might have allergies. This could be an outdoor allergen that maybe only happens during specific times of the year or this could be something you have recently introduced to your dog such as in the case of a new treat or a new food.
DOG PAW LICKING REMEDIES FOR ALLERGIES
If the pads are red and inflamed, I give my little girl some relief with Epsom salt which is magnesium sulfate which soothes and relaxes sore muscles and should give your furbaby some relief for a little while.
Which I use by soaking each paw in a warm mixture of Epsom salt and water making sure all the Epsom salt is completely dissolved. I tend to soak from 5 -15 minutes up to 3 times a day depending on the issue.
Making sure the paws are fully submersed (one at a time) and be sure that they don’t drink the water or lick the pads afterwards. I found that sticking them in a pan or bucket one at a time got really messy and water would spill everywhere.
Tools like the one below come in handy and make things a little easier since sometimes as they like to lift her paw out of the water and splashing it everywhere and this paw cleaner tool helps with that.
Depending on how big the foot soaker bin is I usually do about 1 tbsp. Plain unscented Epsom salt with about 1-2 cups of warm water.
PARASITES
Mange could be one of the reasons for why do dogs lick their paws. In fact, if they are red and inflamed and you notice that the hair is thinning or completely gone then this could be a symptom of mange.
Read our articles below to learn more about the different types of mange and how they can affect your dog licking paws
SARCOPTIC MANGE IN DOGS BEWARE ITS CONTAGIOUS TO YOU TOO
DEMODECTIC MANGE IN DOGS, HOME REMEDIES & SYMPTOMS
DOG PAW LICKING REMEDIES FOR MANGE
One of the things that I personally have used for chewing on the paws and mange treatment was a lime sulfur spray. This product barely has any scent to it and is mixed with lavendar and can be applied to the affected areas such as the paws of a dog.
You will want to prevent them from licking this off and it is yellow and may stain your carpets.
FOREIGN OBJECT
All sorts of things can get stuck in between your dogs paw pads. This could be anything from a blade of grass to a foxtail to a rock. I have noticed that dogs that are outdoors tend to track things in the house with their paws.
This can also get caught in the hair or even in between the pads and cause irritation. One time my little girl stepped on a bee and I saw it as she was limping right afterwards.
This is yet another example of dog chewing paws that was due to a foreign object barely visible to the naked eye that was causing immense discomfort.
I noticed she kept biting and biting at her underneath of her paw pad. So, I took a headlamp so I could see clearly and then I looked where she kept biting and I actually found the stinger and got it out of there as it was still in the skin in between the webbing.
TUMORS, CYSTS, SKIN GROWTHS
Another reason that your dog could be licking its paws is that something under the skin might be irritating it. If there is a cysts or a tumor or other growth forming under or on top of the skin this could be causing pressure or irritation and making your do lick more often.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR DOG IS LICKING THEIR PAWS
CHECK THE PAW AREA
A dog licking paws or a dog chewing paws means you will want to check your dog’s paws and make sure there is nothing inside the pad, such as a thorn or a foxtail or in my case a bee stinger.
CLEANSE AND DISINFECT THE PAW AREA
If there is something in there you will want to remove it carefully with tweezers and then clean out the pad with a cleaning solution, I use these wipes, which work great in between the webbing of the paws.
Amazon.com: Pet MD Topical Wipes for Cleansing – with Aloe for Cats and Dogs – 50 Count
It has ketoconazole and chlorhexidine in it which is good for certain fungal infections and has antiseptic, disinfectant, and antibacterial qualities that help cleanse the skin and could help with yeast in between the toes too.
Another remedy I use for a dog licking paws or a dog chewing paws is an all-natural approach which is apple cider vinegar
and water and I mix equal parts of ½ cup water to ½ cup all-natural acv with mother and apply to her pads and in between the toes about 2 to 3 times a day as the apple cider vinegar has antimicrobial and antifungal properties.
USE TOOLS TO MAKE YOUR PAW CLEANING EASIER
And if you don’t want to make a mess like I usually get the solution everywhere spraying it into her paws, there is this paw washer
where you fill the cup with the solution and then dunk your furbaby’s paws in one at a time.
FOLLOW UP
You will also want to follow-up with your veterinarian to make sure it isn’t something more serious and especially if you found something lodged in the paws.
Just to make sure that you got everything out and didn’t leave any pieces of anything in there or that there wasn’t more then one. Foxtails have been known to dig and burrow their way into the skin and can cause serious infection.
HOW TO FIX CRACKED, CHAPPED AND DULL COLORED PAW PADS
If the pads are cracked or dull this could also be another reason why they are licking their paws. This paw balm or paw salve recipe helps soothe and moisturize the irritated skin and paw pads.
MY PAW BALM RECIPE BELOW
NOTE: YOUR FURBABY COULD ALSO BE ALLERGIC TO ONE OR SOME OF THESE INGREDIENTS LIKE BEESWAX OR HEMPSEED SO CONSULT YOUR VET BEFORE STARTING ANYTHING NEW.
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 Tbsp Hemp oil
- 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
- 3/4 to 1/2 Bar Beeswax
- 2 Tbsp Shea Butter
- 6 drops Lavendar Essential Oil
- 6 drops Frankincense Essential Oil
4 tbsp. hemp oil which I like to use Organic, cold pressed.
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, which I prefer unrefined, organic and cold pressed and you can also pick this up at your local grocery store.
¾ to 1 bar of Beeswax, I use an all-natural sun-bleached, cosmetic grade, triple filtered white beeswax
The other option if your fur kid is allergic to bees or pollen is Carnuba wax which I sometimes mix in a ratio of 50/50 beeswax to carnuba.
Or if using only carnuba wax you will want to use slightly less, I believe I used 3 Tbsp as carnuba wax has a higher melting point and also is a harder overall wax when compared to beeswax.
2 tbsp. shea butter
2 tbsp. vitamin E oil (usually not pure and is mixed with other carrier oils)
6 drops Lavendar essential oil
6 drops Frankincense essential oil (antibacterial and analgesic properties) I use a very, very expensive but good quality oil which is tested for purity.
Amazon.com: doTERRA Frankincense Essential Oil 15 ml : Health & Household
You can put all the ingredients, except for the essential oils in a microwave safe plastic container and heat in 30 second intervals until all melted.
Or you can turn the heat up on high on the stove and shave off pieces of the wax and melt that down first and then mix in the oils and butter.
After its all melted then I add the essential oils and transfer to a plastic container and cover it and put in the fridge until cooled and hardened.
You can adjust the recipe with either more or less oil or wax depending on how you would like it to spread onto your dog’s pads.
If you put it in the fridge it will harden up and keep for longer. If you set it out room temperature or move it around between your fingers before you apply it on your furbaby the warmth from your hands will also melt it down.
I usually apply this at night right before bed and then cover her paws with 6-12 month old socks over night.
Amazon.com: Cherokee Little Girls 12 Pack Shorty Socks: Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry
This way she is not getting up and walking around and is just sleeping with the cream on her pads and skin and the socks on.
Check out our other articles for more information on why your furbaby could be licking their paws such as;
