My Dog Licks Its Paws

Figuring out why a dog does things can sometimes be complicated, but many other times, very simple. Why does my dog lick its paws? This question is probably one of the most common ones heard on our blog, yet it has simple answers anyone can work out with the clues we're about to give you.

From simple hygiene, wounds, allergies… there are countless causes that can make our dog lick its paws. Let's go over all of them so you know what's happening to your dog and how you can fix it.

Allergies Affect Its Paws

One of the main reasons a dog licks its paws is allergies. Even if it shows no other symptoms on the rest of its body, many dogs suffer small allergic flare-ups showing up as pruritus (itching) and erythema (redness) on the paws.

Due to the annoying itching they feel, they start licking and even biting their paws to soothe it. We could interpret this as a sign something's wrong with our dog.

The cause of the allergy can vary a lot, from the spread of pollen from various plant species in spring, to a food allergy, or some product used on the lawn or ground where it usually walks, strolls, or plays.

Noticing an allergy on our dog's paws is easy — we need to check each paw and see whether its pads or skin are red, whether it has sores, ulcers, or any other type of lesion. If so, we need to see a vet so they can give it the right treatment.

Lack of Hygiene

Even though we regularly bathe our dog, the truth is dogs also clean themselves daily. It's not unusual to see a dog licking its paws before continuing with the rest of its body. We often worry seeing our dog licking its paws when all it's doing is washing itself.

If it does this very often, we simply need to check its paws to rule out problems. Some dogs wash once a month and others do it daily… every dog is different!

Wounds or Injuries

When dogs feel pain in their paws from a wound or joint pain, besides limping, they normally also lick this area. This can be due to something mild and temporary or a serious problem that needs treatment or even surgery.

We shouldn't rule out the possibility that something is stuck in its paws either, under the pads or between the toes, like a foxtail or a sharp rock. In fact, foxtails are a fairly common problem at the clinic, since they get into body openings, such as the ears, nose, urethra, and even between the toes.

In addition, sometimes they're not noticed until a thorough exam of the animal is done. This problem can cause pain and make our dog lick its paws recurrently.

Licking the Paws Helps Vitamin D Absorption

As strange as it may seem, dogs often lick their paws to absorb the vitamins the sun gives them.

Humans metabolize vitamin D from the sun's rays reaching us directly through the skin, but dogs don't. In them, this vitamin builds up in the surface fat of the skin, so it's not absorbed automatically — instead, they need to lick their skin and paws to absorb it orally.

That's why they often lick their paws simply because they're absorbing the vitamin D that's built up in this surface fat.

In conclusion, if we notice our dog licking its paws excessively, we need to rule out a wound, allergy, or the presence of a foreign body causing pain (like a foxtail). If we don't notice any of this, and our dog does this behavior compulsively, we should take it to the vet for an exam and try to find the cause or get advice on a possible solution.