Advice On Dog Chewing On Paws
posted on 06/27/2009
Things to consider...
Has your lawn been treated recently?
Have you had the carpets shampooed?
Used a new floor cleaner?
Purchased new rugs or carpets?
Are the pads dry and cracked?
Does your animal chew on all it's paws or just one paw?
All the paws:
Only the tops of the paws:
This could be out of boredom, fleas/mites, or food allergy.
Boredom-try giving your dog new toys that are interactive such as treat feeders like the Ever-lasting treat ball, Tug-a-jug or Kong. See if you can 'take his mind off things' and keep him entertained that way.
Fleas/Mites/Yeast-generally your animal will be chewing other areas of the body. If you do not see fleas it could still be mites. Mites are hardly visible to the naked eye. Sometimes the yeast becomes a secondary infection due to the licking creating a nice moist environment for it to thrive in.
Chewing/licking the bottom of all paws:
This could be an allergy or a reaction to something the animal has walked in.
Try washing the paws with warm water and Dawn dish soap. Scrub the pads, between the digits, and the tops of the paws. Be sure to rinse all the soap off afterward!
Dry/cracked pads:
This can be irritating to a dog. You can try using a NON-TOXIC hand moisturizer on the pads.
Burns:
Has your dog been running on hot pavement during the day? Hot asphalt can cause burns on the bottom of paws. Depending on the severity you may see blistering and peeling of the pads. The only treatment is keeping it clean and dry (to prevent infection) and pain medication. Please do not give your animals pain medication unless recommended by a veterinarian. Many over the counter human products can be toxic to dogs!
Seasonal Allergies:
Many dogs have seasonal allergies. Veterinarians can recommend treatment for this.
Foreign objects in the paw:
Sometimes dogs step on something. If your dog is only chewing one paw check the pads, between the digits and under the nails for any foreign objects such as splinters. It is usually pretty hard to find any, luckily they often 'work their way out' on their own. Also check for cuts or scrapes. The littlest cuts may hurt the worst (think of a papercut on your finger) pain can cause the licking of paws.
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