Paw licking
Licking the paws all night isn't a habit. Something itches.
What it looks like
- Licking or chewing the paws for long stretches, especially in the evening or after walks.
- Rust or pink staining on light fur around the toes from saliva.
- Red, irritated skin between the pads, sometimes a limp or a paw held up.
Why it happens
Paws itch for a short list of reasons: allergies to grass, pollen, or food; irritation from salt, hot pavement, or lawn chemicals; moisture trapped between the toes. The itch leads to licking, the licking irritates the skin further, and the cycle keeps itself going.
Do tonight
- Rinse the paws in cool water after the last walk and dry between every toe. This alone stops a lot of licking.
- Look between the pads with a light. Cuts, a tick, a grass seed, a stuck burr. One paw licked far more than the others usually means something is in it.
- Break the cycle. A chew, a short walk, or a cone if the skin is raw. The licking has to stop for the skin to settle.
See a vet if
- The skin is raw, bleeding, or swollen, or your dog is limping.
- Only one paw is affected and you cannot find anything in it.
- It has gone on for more than two weeks or comes back every season.
Chronic paw licking is almost always allergy. A vet can start an allergy workup; home care handles the irritation tonight.
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