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.

Why Do Dogs Have Dewclaws?

Ever wonder what is the purpose of the thumb-like structure protruding from the side of your dog's leg? It's a dewclaw! For most dogs, dewclaws are nonfunctional, however they are an interesting bit of evolutionary history!

Over 40 million years ago, an early ancestor of the modern dog was a tree climbing cat-like animal called a Miacis. These animals had five toes to successfully scale and live in the treetops. Eventually, the Miacis evolved to live on the ground and became specialized hunters -- more like our dogs today.

As hunters of fast moving prey, speed became an important factor. This added speed required a change! Evolution rocked dog's legs forward so that their heel would no longer touch the ground. As a result, they began to walk on their toes, with the fifth toe now unable to touch the ground.

Voila, the dewclaw! Today, most dogs have dewclaws only on their front paws, and it is rare to find them on their back paws. However in several breeds, such as the Great Pyrenees and Briards, rear dewclaws are common, they may even have a double dewclaw!

It is not uncommon for dogs with injury-prone dewclaws to have them removed. Some puppies have them removed before they are weaned.  Be sure to ask your vet if you are concerned that your dog's dewclaws are at risk for injury. They will know best how to keep your furry friend's paws safe and healthy!

Source: Psychology Today

Is Your Pet Right-Pawed or Left-Pawed?

Just like humans and their hands, many pets have a certain paw they prefer over the other. According to a recent study, 50% of cats are right pawed,  40% favor their left paw and 10% of them are ambidextrous, favoring neither! 

Dogs, on the other hand, tend to be more evenly split with around 50% being left-pawed and 50% being right-pawed, with a statistically insignificant number being ambidextrous.

In addition, there seems to be a connection between your pet's gender and which paw is dominant. Specifically, female cats and dogs typically will have a dominant right paw, while males tend to favor the left. However, if your pet has been spayed or neutered at an early age, this distinction may go away.

So, is your pet right-pawed, left-pawed or ambidextrous? Here are a few simple tests to find out:

• If you teach your dog to shake, which paw do they offer you first and most often?
• If your dog or cat is playing on their back and you put your hand just out of their reach, which paw do they reach for your hand with?
• Fill a toy with something delicious and put it in the center of your dog’s visual field. Which paw does it use to touch the toy first? Which paw does your dog use to hold the toy?
• Put something sticky on your dog or cat’s nose. Which paw do they use to remove it?
• Place a treat or a piece of cheese under a sofa, just beyond your dog or cat’s reach. Which paw do they use to try and get it out?
• If your pet wants to get inside or into a room you’re in, which paw do they typically use to scratch at the door?
• Dangle a toy over your cat’s head. Which paw lifts to swat at it?
• Put a treat under a bowl. Which paw does your cat or dog use to move it?

Note which paw is used and once you've done several dozen (at least) tests, a clear dominant paw should emerge. If you've done 100-200 tests and there is no noticeable paw preference, your pet is probably ambidextrous.

Source: PetMD