My Dog is Chewing Her Paws - Again!

You’ve heard that sound of your dog chewing or licking their paws. You always thought it was a little weird sounding and probably kind of frustrating not knowing what you could do about it. It's something you never thought to really pay attention to.

Dogs actually will lick their paws for a variety of reasons, and cleaning isn’t usually one of them. Some reasons dogs do this is because of: Injury; Habit/Boredom/Anxiety (kind of like humans biting their nails); Allergies; Parasites; Pain; 

Dry Skin and Hormonal imbalances.

Because there are so many reasons for licking paws, it’s important to take your dog to a vet to have her thoroughly examined.  

In addition to the examination, your vet may run some tests to further see what the cause is so that treatment can be prescribed. Treatments can range from anti-fungal medication to antibiotics to special shampoo. Your vet may also recommend trying a new food.

Regardless of the reason, if you know your pet is licking their paws, it’s not just a “frustration” to you, but rather something that is really frustrating your dog, so make sure to get her what she needs.

My Dog Keeps Licking Me!

It's usually pretty clear that dogs lick because they like people; it's their way of being affectionate. There are other reasons dogs lick, though, such as prior to feeding from their mom, asking for a dinner invitation, exploring something, attempting to get attention, or even a way of playing.

Dogs may also lick because they think you taste good! Your taste and scent is familiar to them, and then if you pet them after they lick you, they are rewarded for it. However, you should always pay attention if your dog is licking him or herself. This could signify a medical issue such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or even allergies.

According to petmd.com, licking due to anxiety is similar to nervous habits that humans have such a biting fingernails or drumming one’s fingers. They interviewed some behavioral specialists in order to get a better idea about dogs’ nervous licking.

Dr. Megan Maxwell explains that it can be nervous licking depending on what and when a dog licks, such as if your dog always licks something when the doorbell rings or if they consistently lick the same thing over and over again.

Regardless of the reason for licking, you might want to keep a towel handy to wipe up all that slobber.

And no matter how much you love your dog, we don’t recommend licking him or her back.

INTERESTING Facts About Dogs

Do you think you know everything about Dogs? Think again. Check out these facts.

1. Eyelids - Dogs have three eyelids, an upper lid, a lower lid and the third lid, called a nictitating membrane or “haw,” which helps keep the eye moist and protected.

2. Eyes - It’s a myth that dogs only see in black and white. In fact, it’s believed that dogs see primarily in blue, greenish-yellow, yellow and various shades of gray.

3. Teeth - Puppies have 28 teeth and normal adult dogs have 42.

4. Allergies - Not only do fleas cause discomfort by biting, but they can transmit disease like tapeworm and one bite can cause severe allergic problems.

5. Life - Teaching your dog to come makes everything easier, and it could save their life one day. 

6. Skin - Dogs may ingest larvae through contaminated soil or larvae in the soil can penetrate the skin. This is especially relevant to animals allowed to roam or spend most of their time outside.

7. Tails - Dogs chase their tails for a variety of reasons: curiosity, exercise, anxiety, predatory instinct or, they might have fleas! If your dog is chasing his tail excessively, talk with your vet.

Source: Petfinder.com 

Can Dogs Protect You from Asthma?

Dogs enrich our lives in many ways, so Morris Animal Inn was intrigued by information indicating that the simple presence of a dog may help protect a household from asthma and allergens.

Interesting research from the University of Michigan late last year suggests that dogs may add a diversity of bacteria to household dust that is protective against respiratory disease.

According to the article in the Wall Street Journal, researchers have determined that children in households with dogs exposed to the outdoors may develop a gastrointestinal tract with a more mature immune response to allergens.  

They identified a species of “good gut bacteria” that is critical in protecting the respiratory airways from sensitivity to allergens and viral infections.

Researchers found that this “good bacteria” prevented airway inflammation associated with allergies, and also infection with Respiratory Syncytial Virus, other wise known as RSV. RSV infection in children is known to increase the risk of asthma.

This is interesting for pet owners because the presence of pets is sometimes associated with pet dander, which is known to have the opposite effect. Of course there still is so much to learn about this topic, but it’s an interesting concept, don’t you think?

There are many proven health benefits to owning a pet and further research on this topic may add another benefit of living with pets to the list!

Source: PetMD & Wall Street Journal