Paw Licking Good Savoring Organic Dog Food Delights
Why Does My Dog Lick Their Paws?
You may have noticed your dog chewing and licking their paws. Why do they do this? As with other dog behaviors, there can be several causes, including injuries, skin problems, allergies to canine environments, parasites, or food, and boredom or anxiety.
Occasional paw licking is normal for dogs as a part of their self-grooming process, especially when they come inside after walking on dirty or sandy ground. But if your dog frequently and intensely licks their paws, you can assume that something is wrong.
Injuries
The first step to take, especially if the licking begins very suddenly and is focused on one paw, is to examine the paws. Youll need to check to make certain there is not an injury such as a cut, torn nail, growth, or perhaps a stone, thorn, or ice ball stuck between the pads. Look closely at the nails, between the toes and pads, and at the tops of the feet.
Your dog may have irritated their paw by stepping on something sharp, walking on salted or hot sidewalks, being stung by a bee, or getting a blister. Some of these problems can be relieved by a simple first-aid treatment, while others might require treatment by a veterinarian.
Dermatitis
If the paw pads and feet appear normal, the licking could be due to a skin condition (dermatitis), which often is the result of bacterial problems, allergies, or food sensitivities.Your dog could develop dermatitis by being allergic to chemicals used in your yard, products meant to deice your driveway, or certain types of grass or weeds. Keeping a bowl of water and a towel near the door to gently clean off the paws when you come inside could help.
Parasites
Parasite infections (such as fleas or mange) can cause the paws to be very itchy. Your veterinarian can recommend treatments to eliminate the parasites, which should relieve the itching.
Food Allergies
Food allergies are known to cause itchy paws, and these types of allergies are difficult to pinpoint. Your vet may suggest a special diet or elimination of certain ingredients in your dogs food to try to address the problem.
Pain
Finally, a dog that is experiencing pain due to arthritis or other foot or leg conditions may lick their paws. Even if the pain is somewhere else in their body, some dogs will try to deal with it by licking a front paw continuously. This requires diagnosis and treatment by a veterinarian.
Behavioral Issues
If you and your veterinarian have ruled out all of the above problems, then your dog may be suffering from boredom or a behavioral problem such as anxiety. Again, this is difficult to diagnose, but there are some steps you can take to help. Some dogs develop compulsive behaviors, which include paw licking.
To deal with boredom, try taking your dog for more walks or runs. Increase playtime with you and with other dogs to use up more mental and physical energy. Give your pet puzzle toys or safe chew toys to take their focus away from his paws.
If you think anxiety, such as fear of noises or separation anxiety, may be causing them to lick their paws, there are a number of ways you can attempt to relieve the anxiety, including calming treats. A good animal behaviorist can suggest a variety of options to try.
Secondary Infections
Its important to recognize that licking behavior can be indicative of a health problem or may become harmful to the dog. You should work with your veterinarian to determine the cause and find an appropriate solution. Dont wait too long to do this, because the moisture of constant foot licking can cause a secondary bacterial or yeast infection causing even more itching, redness, swelling, and licking.
Meanwhile, depending on the underlying cause of the problem, the veterinarian may relieve your dogs itching by prescribing topical anti-itch sprays, steroids to reduce inflammation, antibiotics for a bacterial infection, or antifungals for yeast infections. The sooner you can address the problem and illuminate the cause, the better.
The Truth About Grain-Free Dog Food: Insights from a Nutrition Expert
The phrase grain-free has become one of the most confusing and debated in the world of dog food in recent years. It was and is often seen as a positive many nutritionists warn against high levels of grains in dog food.
However, in recent years, a growing concern has emerged regarding the potential connection between canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and dogs diets with grain-free foods framed by some as the problem.
As a result, pet parents, believing they are offering their furry companions the best nutrition, find themselves troubled by the notion that their diet could be linked to such a serious disease.
While DCM has various causes, including genetics, medications, and infections, its crucial to note theres no scientific evidence definitively linking grain-free or grain-inclusive diets to DCM.
This, however, has not eased the concern or confusion among many pet parents. Not least because people confuse food advertised as grain-free which often has grain substitutes with food that simply has no grains in it, such as raw dog food.To address the uncertainties around foods labelled grain-free, we spoke Dr. Richard Patton, a seasoned Ph.D. animal nutritionist with over 40 years of experience and expertise in formulating canine diets, more than 25 scientific publications to his name, and who has authored a book on pet nutrition. Hes a nutritional consultant for the raw food community.
(Please note that these are Dr. Pattons expert opinions, not those of Dog Food Advisor.)
In the popular language of the pet food industry, grain-free trade signifies the absence of ingredients like corn, oats, wheat, soybeans, and the like. This labelling suggests the replacement of these perceived problematic grains with supposedly more benign options such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, or other non-grain alternatives.
However, the crux of the issue isnt the specific grains name but rather the quantity of soluble carbohydrates it contains essentially, starch and sugar. Potatoes, often deemed virtuous replacements for grains, can be just as carbohydrate-rich and, therefore, pose similar concerns as grains like corn. Similarly, a diet featuring lower levels of soluble carbohydrates can still be highly nutritious, even if it includes moderate amounts of grains.
How do I know if my dog should be grain-free?
Your dog should generally be fed a diet that is low in starch and sugar. Their diet should be low in soluble carbohydrates its usually easiest to feed your dog complete and balanced meat-based dog food.
Apart from honey, there are very few natural sources of food that are high in carbohydrates. If we were to survive in the wild, we would find many things to eat, but very few carbohydrates. Mankind made them easy to find, but a high-carb diet is ill-suited for our genetic machinery.
Should pet parents avoid grain-free food?
The thing to avoid is a high-carb diet. The pet food industry is dominated by brands that make crunchy kibble on a machine called an extruder. To properly run an extruder requires a fair measure of starch due to its inherent qualities. It expands when heated with water; it stays expanded when cooled and dried.
The pet food industry is a behemoth, with a dog or cat for every other person in the country. Big kibble has coerced the market into thinking kibble is the way to go. In fact, a pet parents buying decision is guided by three things: cost, convenience, and correct nutrition. Its hard to have all three. Big kibble trades on its strength in cost and convenience.
Are there different types of grain-free dog food?
There are different ingredients one can replace corn, oats, wheat, etc. with. However, if its a crunchy kibble, it will contain excess carbohydrates.
What are the benefits of grain-free dog food?
Given that both with grain and grain-free can be equally dubious due to high starch content, the benefits are confined to economics and convenience.
What are the disadvantages of grain-free dog food?
A grain-free kibble will be high in starch and deliver excess carbohydrates, the same as regular grain kibble. Everyone thinks fat causes obesity. This is incorrect. Excess carbohydrates cause obesity.
Does grain-free dog food cause heart disease (DCM, enlarged heart or dilated cardiomyopathy)?
There is no credible scientific evidence for this, let alone proof. If there is a link between diet and DCM in dogs, it is far more likely to be a matter of protein quality, amount and specific amino acid amount.
Is grain good for dogs?
Grain can be fed to dogs if fed in moderation. A primordial diet is 5-7% carbohydrate, and this is the dietary level mammals are genetically evolved to consume, and thrive on best.
Is grain-free food the same as gluten-free/wheat-free dog food?
If grain-free means the diet is free of wheat, rye, barley and oats, then the diet can be considered gluten-free. There are pet food kibbles in the market that snub these specific cereal grains.
If you or your pet has a gluten intolerance, you readily grasp the relevance of this issue. Gluten intolerance is a genetic inability to digest the gliadin fraction of the wheat protein gluten. Gluten is also found in the protein of rye and to a smaller extent in barley and oats. So no, grain-free does not speak to gluten-free specifically, but often a grain-free diet can be gluten-free as well.
Can puppies eat grain-free food?
Talking about grain-free dry kibble, yes, of course, they can eat it, and given that puppies chew on anything, they will appear to relish it. The excess carbohydrates in some foods are just as bad for puppies as adults. Puppy food should derive its calories from protein and fat, not from carbohydrates.
What is the best grain-free dog food?
The question should be what is the best type of food? Regarding grain-free kibble, one can assume the various competing products all comply with AAFCOs recommended guidelines for nutrient content.
In this regard, it is not easy to identify one superior brand among dry kibbles. However, pending AAFCO changes will call for labels to state not just total calories but what percentage of these total calories derives from protein, fat and carbs. This will greatly inform pet parents buying decisions and advance awareness that low-carb diets are best.
For example, a grain-free dry kibble with 30% carbohydrate calories is better than one that is 40 or 50%. Under current label rules, this way of evaluating and ranking is not possible. When it does become the norm, it will show that natural and natural raw diets at 5-10% calories from carbohydrates are the best.
Is grain-free food better for allergies?
If a pet is indeed allergic to one of the grains shunned in grain-free formulas (viz., corn, oats, wheat, soy, barley, rice) a grain-free kibble could lessen symptoms. There was an all-meat-type pet food producer who guaranteed his meat-based product would clear any skin problem or your money back. In 30 years he never refunded a cent. Often, a dogs food sensitivity is not to a specific ingredient but to a diets overall carbohydrate analysis. Lowering starch and sugar in a diet often lessens allergic symptoms.
My Dog Keeps Licking One Paw: 14 Vet Approved Reasons Why
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
Learn moreThis article has been reviewed for medical accuracy however the purpose of this article is not to diagnose your dog or prescribe treatment. We recommend that owners always seek advice for their dog first and foremost from their veterinary practitioner.
Does your dog seem to be obsessed with licking one paw of late? If so, this may alert you to their discomfort or a health issue. Fortunately, most medical causes of paw-licking can be easily solved with treatment, but some dogs may be experiencing deeper-rooted issues like anxiety.
In this guide, well dive into 14 potential causes of your dogs sudden fixation with one paw.
The 14 Reasons Why Your Dog Keeps Licking One Paw
1. Foreign Objects
Dogs get foreign objects stuck to them all the time simply from being out and about, and these objectslike twigs, leaves, grass seeds, rocks, thornssometimes get lodged in the hair between their toes or embedded in their paw pads. This can cause irritation and even pain in some cases.
Take a look at your dogs paws to see if a bit of the outdoors is lingering there and remove it carefully if you spot anything. Tweezers are good for removing things like splinters if theyre shallow enough. If the object is too deep or has left a wound, contact a vet for help.
2. Injuries
Your dog may have injured their paw pad and is licking it in an attempt to soothe their discomfort. First aid for a wounded paw involves removing any foreign objects as described above, applying pressure to the area with a clean cloth or towel to stop the bleeding, cleaning the wound with gentle antibacterials such as iodine solution, and bandaging the area.
Once things are under control, see a vet. Your dog may need pain relief and antibiotics.
3. Food Allergies
Itching on the paws is one sign of a food allergy, and this could be causing your dog grief and giving them the urge to lick the paw for relief. Common allergens include chicken, beef, eggs, wheat gluten, soy, and dairy. If you suspect this is why your dog keeps licking their paw, speak to a vet about possible tests your dog can undergo and dietary changes they may benefit from.
4. Environmental Allergies
Food allergies arent the only types of allergies that can affect a dogs skin. Environmental irritants like pollen, grass, or dust mites, cause diffusely itchy skin and include itchy paws.
5. Contact Allergies
Your pets paws come into contact with lots of plants while out on their walks and in the yard. If your pet is allergic to some of these plants, irritation on the paws and hairless areas of the skin can occur.
6. Parasites
Parasitesespecially ticksmay squeeze into the little spaces between your dogs toes. Mites (which cause mange) and a number of other parasites can cause itching and red skin. Speak to your vet about the best medications for the type of parasite your dog is dealing with and be sure to keep up with your dogs regular preventative treatments.
7. Chemicals
Chemicals in cleaning productsespecially strong ones like bleach and chlorinecan get stuck to your dogs paws if they come into contact with them and cause chemical burns. Signs include blistered, irritated, and inflamed skin, sometimes with discharge. If your dog has a chemical burn, please flush the affected area with a lot of room-temperature water and contact a vet right away.
8. Bacterial and Fungal Infections
When too much bacteria or yeast is present on the skin, an infection can develop, resulting in signs like redness, flakiness, hair loss, scabbiness, and an unpleasant smell. Ringworm is also a fungal infection that causes circular irritated patches of skin with hair loss. Treatment typically consists of antibiotics or antifungals which may be oral or topical.
9. Arthritis
Arthritis causes joint pain, and reduces mobility in dogs. Some dogs with arthritis may try to ease the pain by licking at the area; this will most often occur at the carpal or wrist joint in the front legs or at joints elsewhere in the body. This condition is often managed with medications, special prescription diets, joint supplements, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery if there is an orthopedic problem that can be corrected.
10. Flea Allergy Dermatitis
Flea allergy dermatitis is an allergic reaction to a flea bite. This causes itching in the affected area which is usually at the base of the tail but can be anywhere in the body. In some cases, infection occurs. Discuss treatment options with your vet.
11. Growths or Tumors
If your dog isnt suffering from an injury, infection, or allergic reaction, they may have developed cysts or a tumor on their paws. Look for any unusual growths, lumps, or bumpsthey can sometimes occur between the toesand talk to your vet if you find any.
12. Insect Bites or Stings
In addition to fleas, other insects, including bees, wasps, and spiders can sting or bite dogs and cause swelling, itching, and redness. Ice packs are also handy for reducing swelling and discomfort. Contact a vet for advice about antihistamines and when to get your pet seen.
13. Stress
Anxiety and stress can cause dogs to compulsively lick themselves as a soothing mechanism. Unfortunately this can lead to hair loss and skin infections. The dog will perform this behavior very frequently, even to the point where they wake up from sleep to lick themselves.
Speak to your vet about the possibility of anti-anxiety medications or alternative stress relief aids.
14. Boredom
Bored dogs perform all kinds of behaviors as a way of releasing pent-up energy, including overgrooming themselves. Consider whether your dog is getting the right amount of exercise every day for the kind of energy level they have and if they have enough mental stimulation (toys, play sessions, chew toys, etc.).
Conclusion
If youre having trouble working out whats making your dog lick their paw so much, please get them checked out by a vet, as sometimes, underlying health issues can be the culpritsome minor, and some more serious in nature. Finally, please dont try to medicate your dog yourself without veterinary guidance.
Featured Image Credit: Chendongshan, Shutterstock
