Question
For a few months now (since around late August), my pitbull is obsessed with licking her paws. It is to the point where she almost cannot stop unless she is sleeping or closely supervised. It's so much that she leaves behind large puddles of saliva on whatever furniture she is on from all the licking, and her paws are really starting to get beat up from it (tearing in her pads, small cuts).
Our regular vet isn't quite sure what to do for her. We asked if it could be yeast, but the vet doesn't think so, and pretty much recommends we handle this with her special allergist vet. We know she has bad allergies to nearly everything outdoors. She has been allergy tested and we found that she is allergic to many grasses, weeds, trees, and other things. The allergist said it's some of the most severe allergies in a dog they have seen. But even with all these allergies, I'm not sure that that is the root cause of her licking, since only recently has she been this bad. In the past, she certainly licked her paws some, but nowhere near to the degree it is now.
Things I've tried to help her include:
- Bathing her using a 4% chlorhexidine gluconate shampoo, which our vet recommends to eliminate any kind of bacterial issues
- Soaking her feet in an epsom salt water bath
- A "natural" cream to rub on her paws (natural in the sense that it's made from only natural ingredients)
- A prescribed steroidal spray
- Apoquel (which she's been on for a good portion of her life)
All of these don't seem to provide relief.
I am suspecting something else is at play here. I am beginning to wonder if it's more of a nervous thing for her that she somehow developed into. Environmentally, nothing has really changed, so if it is a nervous issue, I'm unsure what it could be.
Here are some images of her front left paw (click the image to enlarge):
What else could be causing my dog to lick her paws all the time?
Answer
Paw licking can have so many causes, it will be hard to determine the true origin in her case. There could even be several causes cumulating at the same time.
Infection
Just like humans, dogs can get fungal or bacterial infections on their skin. The vet kind-of ruled that out and you're already treating for that.
Dermatitis
This is most commonly caused by allergies or chemicals and occurs most commonly on the paws (because that's what touches the environment most) and the face.
In addition to the obvious allergies to grasses and trees, also consider other stuff that coats surfaces. If you wipe your floors very often, consider using less detergent or a different type of detergent for at least 4 weeks to see if her condition improves.
May there be fertilizer in your yard or the park where you take her for walks? Are the streets or sidewalks in your area are defrosted with salt? Does she have to walk through puddles on the street that may contain gasoline or motor oil? Or maybe over searing hot asphalt that burns her paws? Put dog boots on her to protect her feet.
Dry skin
This is a very unfortunate result of a pre-existing condition that can spiral out of control. Because of her licking, her skin is dry and itchy. Because her skin is itchy, she continues licking. Her skin never gets the chance to fully heal.
Anxiety / OCD
Paw licking and biting is a common sign in anxious and nervous dogs. Especially if she does it all the time and ignores other stimuli like toys to continue licking.
The problem with Mental disorders in dogs is that if you prevent her from licking her paws without treating the underlying cause, she will simply develop another coping mechanism that will be just as severe. She might start chewing walls and furniture, start eating anything she can get hold of (a condition called pica) or bark or whine constantly without pause.
Leash pulling
Yes, that can lead to paw licking. The main nerves that connect her paws to her brain run through the front of her neck. If she pulls too much on her leash, she can damage those nerves, resulting in a constant "pins and needles" sensation. Of course she then licks her paws in an attempt to alleviate the tingling.
If she is a strong leash puller, you should use a harness instead of a collar for her. Please look for special weight pulling harnesses. I've once had a harness for my dog that constricted his rib cage to the point where he wheezed whenever he started pulling.
Rheumatism and/or Arthritis
Another source of chronic pain in the paws can be rheumatism and/or arthritis. There are other conditions, too, that cause chronic pain, but those are the most common. Just like with the nerve damage due to leash pulling, the dog tries to alleviate the constant pain by licking.
Parasites
Fleas and mites usually cause itchiness, but also usually spread over more than just the paws. However, if there are parasites living in the soil (like sand fleas) they might bite your dog without actually infesting her body.
Here are some links that I hope will help you:
American Kennel Club: Why Does My Dog Lick Their Paws?
PetMD: Why Do Dogs Lick and Chew Their Paws?. It lists a lot of products you may try to treat her licking, but too much treatment could also contribute to more licking. I highly encourage you to go through a checklist with your vet(s) and try to prove or disprove as many as possible before going wild and treating her against everything.
The Spruce Pets: Why Is My Dog Licking His Paws?. This one concentrates more on the mental disorders and links to other articles that help you treat them.
Answered By - Elmy