So, even if you’re trying to distract yourself by calling your name or offering your favorite toys, your dog is chewing and licking his legs more than usual. Why is this happening?
Dr. Valentina Henao Veterinary and medical director of Veterinary emergency organization (vegetables) In Miami. She explains that dogs may do so for many reasons, from common issues like fleas and allergies to leg injuries.
Below, Dr. Henao will help you explore the most common causes and potential treatments for licking and chewing your feet.
5 reasons why your dog is licking his legs
Dogs licking their legs are quite common behavior. Most of the time, it usually has nothing to worry about. Dogs lick their legs as a way to explore, self-sedate, or clean up any mud left over from an afternoon walk.
But it’s time to get a closer look at what’s going on, to the point where your dog is licking and biting his legs (when he doesn’t stop when he doesn’t want to call or distract him with a toy, food or walk), and he’s doing harm to himself.
Below are some of the most common reasons why dogs lick and bite their legs.
1. Injury or whole body pain
Occasionally licking the legs is normal, but aggressive licking and biting can indicate pain or injury. If your pet is experiencing pain, there may also be signs of pain, such as limping, avoiding stairs, or reducing activity.
If you think your dog may have been stabbed, look for an embedded stinger. “We need to remove stains that can cause allergic reactions and make our pets sick,” says Dr. Henao. Similarly, if you find amputation or suspect pain from other causes, reach out to your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.
2. Fleas and ticks
Fleas and mites are common parasites that can itch, lick and chew dogs. These pests can live in places you visit frequently, such as bedding, carpets, toys, soil, tall grass, and wooded areas.
The easiest way to check if your dog has fleas or ticks is to physically see them Flea comb. Flea signs include small movement insects in the dog’s skin and black spots left behind (flea stains).
It is important to work with your vet to understand why your dog is licking its legs and to quickly address the cause.
Dig holes most commonly at the toes, under the legs and behind the ears. If you spot a mite, grab the base as close as possible to the dog’s skin and carefully remove it with tweezers.
Make sure that the entire tick, including the mouth part, is removed. Ticks can cause serious skin infections if any areas of the skin are left behind. Special tick spoons are often the best way to remove all mites at once.
Consult your veterinarian about available options, such as prescription and over-the-counter medications. They can advise you on the best options for your dog.
3. allergy
Allergies can cause reactions almost anywhere in the body, including skin and foot infections, hot spots and ear infections, according to Dr. Henao. Identifying an allergen can be challenging as it can result from:
- food: The perpetrator may contain proteins such as chicken, meat, pork, and eggs.
- Seasonal factors: Triggers like grass and pollen can cause flare-ups.
- environment: Laundry detergent or other household items may have issues.
- Fleas: Itching in fleas is caused by an allergic reaction.
If your dog has a nasty infection related to allergies, they may need topical and oral medications Recovery Cone To prevent licking or worsening the affected area.
4. arthritis
Arthritis is a common condition in older dogs. It can affect not only large joints like the waist and legs, but also toes. This progressive disease occurs when articular cartilage collapses and uses the affected feet and limbs to cause pain, inflammation and difficulties.
Luckily there are several ways to help improve and improve your dog’s mobility.
- Environmental modification: Easy to navigate your home for your dog by placing it Rug Slippery flooring blocks and provides access to stairs Orthopedic Bed.
- Veterinarian approved dietary adjustments: Ask your veterinarian if supplements such as glucosamine are beneficial.
- Weight management: It helps to keep your dog from leaning and not overweight. It reduces stress on the joints. This helps in the arthritis process by relieving pressure and pain on the affected joints.
- Exercise or Physical Therapy: Low-impact exercise and keeping your joints moving can help reduce the pain that arthritis-joined dogs feel.
- Anti-inflammatory and painkillers (if necessary): Depending on the severity of your dog’s arthritis, your veterinarian may recommend medication to manage your pain. The medications are as follows:
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Librella™ is the first FDA approved medication injection to manage pain associated with osteoarthritis in dogs. It can only be managed by an office veterinarian.
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Galliprant® is often prescribed to relieve arthritis pain in dogs and can be prescribed by a veterinarian to give it at home.
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5. Behavioral issues
“Like people, pets can have behavioral and mental health issues that require support from veterinarians and veterinarian behaviorists,” says Henao. In some cases, even after dealing with a fundamental condition such as an infection or allergy, your dog may lick and bite his or her legs for:
Work with your veterinarian to treat your problems
Although licking a PAW is not usually considered an emergency, Henao recommends seeing your vet as soon as possible if your dog experiences it.
- Bleeding from the feet
- Swollen feet
- Limp
- Indicates PUS or other discharge, infection
- Whimper, cry, cry when you touch it
It is important to work with your vet to understand why your dog is licking its legs and to quickly address the cause. Dr. Henao warns that licking can become a bigger problem if the cause is not treated.
Licking the feet can lead to a bacterial infection of the feet called pododermatition. ” she says. “This condition can lead to painful and difficult-to-treat infections.” Catching problems early can lead to a simpler solution.
