Dry Skin
Her skin may just be dry. Adding a teaspoon of coconut oil, fish oil or olive oil to her food is an easy remedy. If you prefer, you can purchase an omega oil supplement.
Something Lodged Between Paw Pads Or Toes
A little stone, a tiny piece of a stick or anything else could be stuck between her paw pads or toes. Check all the places of her paw that could be hiding a foreign object.
Cysts
Take a look at your pooch’s paws. If she is gnawing more on one paw than the others, feel around carefully. If you find a lump on your dog’s paws, she may have a cyst. Cysts need to be removed by your veterinarian.
Allergies
Many dogs have allergies to food, fleas, mould, dirt and grass.
These breeds are most prone to allergies:
- Bichon Frise
- Boston Terrier
- Boxer
- Bull Terrier
- Chinese Shar-Pei
- Cocker Spaniel
- Doberman Pinscher
- English Setter
- Golden Retriever
- German Shepherd
- Labrador Retriever
- Maltese
- Pit Bull Terrier
- Pug
- Standard Poodle
If Fido gnaws at his paws a lot when he comes back into your home after being outside, he may be allergic to trees, weeds, grass, bushes, fleas or something outside. Also, he may have seasonal allergies if his eyes are watery and he’s itchy during a particular time of year.
If you observe a lot of chewing on paws after a meal, he may be suffering from a dairy, soy, wheat, beef, pork, chicken, egg or corn allergy. You can find another dog food online or at the store, or your vet can suggest one.
If your pup is scratching his paws with his fangs all the time, he may be allergic to inside irritants like mould spores, dander, cleaning products, perfume or dust mites. A high-power vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter made to suck up allergens and/or natural cleaning products should help. Skip wearing perfume or cologne for a day and see if he’s less itchy. Your veterinarian can administer an allergy test to determine which allergy you need to address.
Wounds
If you find a cut, infection, broken claw, ingrown nail or some other boo-boo when you inspect your doggy’s paws, you’ll need to clean the cut or go to the vet for medical care if the paw is severely hurt. Check for swelling, bleeding, and pad abrasions and see if he seems to be in pain or doesn’t want to put weight on the paw.
Stressed/Bored
Some dogs become obsessed with chewing on their paws when they are stressed or bored. If Spot looks sad, is chewing on furniture or clothing and seems anxious, you need to stimulate him mentally so he isn’t focused on his paws. Paw chewing often becomes a habit because once they do it, they find they enjoy it.
Walk him and play with him when you can. Snuffle mats, puzzle toys and food-stuffed toys keep your fur child entertained and stimulated when you’re not home to amuse him. If those solutions don’t fix the problem, you can try essential oils or CBD oil to calm him.
Parasites
Ticks, fleas and mites bite canines leaving their skin irritated. Always check your pup for parasites after walking in the woods. Even high grass can be parasite-infested. Make sure your fur buddy has a flea and tick collar or treatment. Run a fine-tooth comb through the fur to check for insects. If you find a tick and are unable to pull it out with the comb, use a tweezer and make sure you extract the entire tick.
Chemicals
Many chemicals can irritate your pooch’s paws. Insect treatment for your home, salt on the street, cleaning products, fertilizer and other yard treatments. If you notice that your pup is chewing her paws after any chemical treatment, you need to wash her paws thoroughly with soap. If that doesn’t remedy the problem, Rover may need to visit the vet.
Arthritis
Many older dogs suffer from arthritis. If your fur baby seems stiff, is having difficulty walking, limps or doesn’t put his weight on one of his legs, she may have arthritis. There are several treatments for arthritis. People give their dogs supplements or CBD oil. Veterinarians can provide cold laser treatments or injections if necessary.
Burns
Hot pavement and sidewalks can burn paws. Try to keep your canine on the grass when temperatures soar. Your vet will need to treat your dog as soon as possible if his paw pads are burnt.
Fungal Infection
Yeast and ringworm fungal infections present as crusty red lesions, fur missing in areas and rashes. You may be able to heal the infection with medicated shampoos, wipes and sprays. If you see multiple lesions or yeast spots, your vet needs to prescribe oral antifungal medication.
Conclusion
Dogs gnaw on their paws because they have dry skin, something lodged between their paw pads or toes, cysts, allergies, a wound, a parasite, chemicals, arthritis, a burn, a fungal infection or are feeling stressed or bored.
More minor conditions can be treated at home, but others require professional medical attention.
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