What Can I Do To Make My Dog Stop Licking Her Paws?

Meditation and mindfulness are buzzwords these days for good reason. It began as a spiritual practice but has become popular as a way of promoting physical and mental well-being. But that’s not why we are here today…

When you are trying to get into your mental focus with yoga and you hear your dog licking her paws you try to ignore it…but when it continues on you start wondering what can I do for her. As Annie continues on and on licking her paws I start thinking maybe I’ll get her a cone for Christmas…no I’m just kidding she has never yet worn a cone and she is 10 years old.

There are specific reasons for this behavior, and it is up to you, as the owner, to try to figure out what the problem may be. If the behavior appears suddenly, continues for an extended period of time, or is accompanied by bleeding, swelling, limping, or odor, the best thing to do is to see a veterinarian and have them do the investigative work with the right diagnostic tools.

What Can I Do NOW To Make My Dog Stop Licking Her Paws?

• For a homemade solution, use oatmeal grains mixed with water and wash their coat with it, as it’s great for soothing itchy skin! Recipe at the bottom of this page.
• A great, natural reliever of itchy skin, apple cider vinegar can decrease the discomfort of dry skin and allergies. Warning: do not try this if they have open wounds as it will hurt!
• Baking soda bath – bathe your dog’s feet in warm water and baking soda to help soothe their feet. A period of time spent with their paws soaking in a mixture of warm water and baking soda will help curb itching and discomfort, which will positively affect your dog’s behavior.
• Flea treatment – Joy dish detergent for a warm bath – Beginning at the neck will prevent the fleas from migrating to the ears, eyes and face, where it will be difficult for you to wash without getting soap in his eyes.
• Coconut oil – rubbing coconut oil on your dog’s poor paws will help soothe them while applying antifungal and antibacterial elements. Not only will this have a positive impact when curbing their itching, but it’s a natural helper in combating a yeast infection or bacterial infection (though you’ll still want to use your vet-recommended medication to be safe!)
• If you find she is experiencing boredom or separation anxiety, a fix as easy as taking her for more frequent or longer walks, teaching her to play with toys instead of chewing her feet, or purchasing stimulating play can help.

 

What Are Other Reasons For Licking Her Paws?

 

• Your dog may be licking their paws because they are grooming themselves. Grooming behavior is easy to notice as your dog will lick each of their paws; not focusing specifically one one paw.
• check the paws and make sure there is no flea or tick there – the saliva from fleas and ticks causes an immune mediated response which results in “itchy” sensation. Even as humans, as much as we know we shouldn’t scratch a bite – we all know how satisfying it is.
• There could be a foreign object in the paw such as a grass seed or thorn. Take a look at her paw pad and feel in between her pads
• one of the most common reasons is allergies
• Your dog has dry skin (Dermatitis) As much as we like our pooches to be clean, it is possible to over-bath them.
• sensitive dogs can also display anxiety by licking their paws, in the same way some people bite their nails as a sign of nervousness
• dogs that have gastrointestinal disorders (like pancreatitis) have also been shown to lick their paws
• Your dog is anxious. This could be caused by an event or separation anxiety, which a lot of dogs experience.

 

What Can I Do To Keep Her From Licking Her Paws In The Future?

1. Vet’s Best Allergy Itch Relief Dog Shampoo
2. If your dog has a bacterial infection, antibiotics would be the antidote. In the case of skin conditions, a prescription shampoo might be the route you take.
3. In the case they merely enjoys chewing her toes, topical sprays such as bitter apple might deter her from her digits. If that fails, make sure you try a cone or collar that prevents her from chewing her toes.
4. Up the OMEGA 3 & 6 fatty acids in their diet. These are 2 Ingredients that are proven to help the symptoms of dry skin

 

When To Talk To Your Vet:

 

• your dog’s feet are swollen. This could be a sign of injury or infection, which may be caused by habitual licking or chewing. Conversely, your dog could be doing the irritating paw licking or chewing his paws in response to an injury or infection. This could be anything minor like dry skin or a skin irritation related to allergies or something more serious like a bacterial infection. Talk to your vet to determine whether the former or the latter is the case, as well as to address the issue.
• your dog’s paws smell foul. This could be a sign of an infection in an open wound.
• your dog is limping. If your dog is showing signs of discomfort, there’s a serious problem. Watch your dog’s body language.
• you notice your dog’s paws are stained a red or pink color. This discoloration will be more evident in dogs with lighter coats and can be a sign that the porphyrin pigments contained in your dog’s saliva are coming in contact with your dog’s feet often enough (too often!) to stain the fur. While normal licking will not be frequent enough to discolor the fur, habitual licking or chewing can be.
• you notice blood or scabs on your dog’s paws. Open wounds, scabs or other signs of skin irritation could be indicative of a serious problem.
• redness or irritation is evident on your dog’s paws. Again, this could be something as simple as mild skin irritation or an allergic skin disease reaction to a food allergy.

Dog Oatmeal Bath Ingredients

This at-home remedy is so simple that you may have all the ingredients in your kitchen pantry already.

• Blender, coffee grinder, or food processor
• Plain, unflavored oatmeal (instant oatmeal, quick oats, or slow-cooking oats all work equally well)
  • ½-1 cup of oatmeal for medium to large breeds
  • 1/3 cup for smaller dogs
• Warm water—but not hot, as hot water can dry out the skin and can worsen inflammation
• A bathtub

You can add either of these options to increase the moisturizing properties of your homemade oatmeal bath:

• 1 cup of high-fat milk for an extra-creamy mixture

OR

1. 2 tablespoons of avocado oil or olive oil

Dog Oatmeal Bath Recipe:

Now that you have your ingredients, here’s the recipe for the perfect oatmeal bath “shampoo.”

• • Blend or process the oats on the highest setting in your food processor, blender, or coffee grinder until you have a very fine, consistent powder.
  • Test 1 tablespoon of the powder to see if the oats are ground fine enough to absorb water. Stir the tablespoon of the ground oats into a glass of warm water.
  • If the oats easily absorb the water and the liquid becomes milky-looking with a smooth feel, you’ve blended long enough.
  • If the liquid doesn’t turn milky, process the oats to grind them even finer. Test again. Repeat until you get a milky solution with a fine, silky feel.

How to Give a Dog an Oatmeal Bath

Once your oat powder is prepared, you are ready to give your dog a bath.

While bathing your dog, try to keep your pup from drinking the bathwater, although a lap or two of the solution will not be harmful.

1. Pour the oat powder into a tub of running warm water and stir evenly.
2. Fill the tub as much as your pup will allow. Most dogs will tolerate the water level to at least the bottom of their stomach, if not higher.
3. Put your pup in the tub.
4. Using a cup, slowly pour the solution over their body. You can gently rub some of the oatmeal directly onto any particularly bad areas.
5. After you have massaged the oatmeal into your dog’s skin and fur and let him soak for 10 minutes, rinse the mixture off with warm water.
6. Use a towel to dry your dog off and brush out their fur. Never use a hot hair dryer on a dog.  Your pup will be slippery due to the moisture of the bath.

Oatmeal Bath for Dogs: Spot Treatments

If your dog has a localized itch or minor skin rash, it isn’t necessary to do a full-body oatmeal bath and soak.

You can apply a thicker paste directly to the affected area and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes.

Use the same blended oatmeal recipe, but only mix in enough water to form a thick paste.

While oatmeal baths are not a cure all for skin conditions and diseases that dogs can get, they can be a great addition to your dog’s grooming routine, especially during drier winter months.

If your dog is suffering from fleas, yeast or bacterial skin infections, or another problem such as an endocrine imbalance, they will need prompt treatment from your veterinarian

By: Laci Schaible, DVM, CVJ