Here’s the Answer: Why Do Dogs Lick Their Paws?

Dogs lick their paws as a part of their regular grooming routine.

If your dog licks his paws occasionally, it shouldn’t raise any red flags. If, however, your dog has been doing that multiple times a day, you should be concerned.

What does it mean!?

In this blog post, we’ll answer the question, “Why do dogs lick their paws?” in detail and help you figure out what’s going on with your furbaby.

Let’s get started!

What’s Going On!?: Why Do Dogs Lick Their
Paws?

The following are some reasons why your furry friend may be licking his paws more often than he should.

Take a look.

Paw Injuries

This is usually the case when your dog is licking one paw more than the others.
Inspect your dog’s paws to see if he has any injuries. Dogs lick their injured paws for various reasons like to reduce itchiness, pain relief, control bleeding, etc.

Abnormal Growth on the Paw

Tumors and other abnormal growths may be one reason your dog has been licking his paws more often than before. The tumor can be malignant. So, it’s best to take your furry friend to the vet if you notice abnormal growth.

If caught in time, such growths are manageable.

Food Allergies

Food allergies are also a common reason why dogs lick their paws. These allergies cause itchiness, and excessive paw-licking is one of the biggest symptoms. Your dog can be allergic to several ingredients in his food.

Common allergens include wheat, soy, gluten, and artificial additives.

So, what can you do about it?

Try a limited ingredient diet for a while to see if there’s any improvement in the paw-licking department.

Bad Habit

If your dog is easily scared or anxious, excessive paw-licking may be a behavior he learned to calm himself down. Boredom, stress, and fear might increase the behavior.

Infections

Bacteria, parasites, and fungal infections are another reason why your dog may be licking his paws. Itchiness is a symptom of these infections, and our dog may be excessively licking his paws for some relief.

In Conclusion

 Did we answer all of your questions? 

It’s not uncommon for dogs to lick their paws. Most do so as a part of their grooming. So, you shouldn’t be concerned if your dog has been licking his paws from time to time.

However, if your dog has been doing so more often than before, you should get him checked.

Did you learn something new from this blog post? Let us know in the comments.