Why does my pet keep licking his paws?
There are numerous reasons your pet may be licking their paws, including allergies, pain, or anxiety to name a few. If your pet is licking for more than one day, further investigation is warranted.
These are the top 5 most common reasons pets may lick their paws:
- Allergies
- Environmental allergies such as grass or pollen
- Food – most commonly due to a beef or chicken allergy
- Products such as a new laundry detergent
- Pain
- Injuries, arthritis, and overgrown nails, are potential causes of pain. Since your pet cannot verbalize their pain, they do the only thing they can do, which is lick the area that hurts.
- Infections
- This can include yeast infections, bacterial, viral or even fungal infections.
- Boredom/Anxiety
- Paw licking causes a dopamine and endorphin release that has a calming or soothing effect.
- Interdigital cysts
- These cysts often develop between the toes, but can also occur on the paw pads.
Treatment for each of these conditions is different. Please schedule a visit with your veterinarian to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment for your pet. If your pet is licking to the point that their paws are red, swollen, or missing hair – please utilize a deterrent such as a cone, until your pet can be evaluated by a veterinarian.
