WHY DOGS LICK THEIR PAWS - NATURAL APPROACH TO TREATMENTby Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM
Does your dog lick his or her feet? Have you been told that allergies are the cause? Do you find that no matter what you do or what special diet you were recommended by your vet, the problem remains?
You are not alone. I must have heard this story a million times by now. Most people are sure that allergies are to blame. Even I, at the beginning of my career, used to think that allergies were to blame. WHY DOGS LICK THEIR PAWS - NATURAL APPROACH TO TREATMENTby Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM
Does your dog lick his or her feet? Have you been told that allergies are the cause? Do you find that no matter what you do or what special diet you were recommended by your vet, the problem remains?
THE UNEXPECTED CAUSE: DOG COLLARSA small percentage of dogs lick their paws because of obsessive nervous licking, long nails, contact with chemical agents, and secondary bacterial infection because of the skin trauma caused by licking.
However, I’ve discovered that the majority of dogs lick their paws because of abnormal sensations in their feet. If you have ever had a neck injury or pain in your neck, you may have also experienced tingling or a "pins and needles" sensation in your hands. Dogs get this, too. It can feel like itching. They lick, presumably, in an attempt to make it go away, perhaps providing counter-pressure or counter-stimulation. And where are they getting these neck injuries?
Dog collars
The worst offenders are choke chains, prong or shock collars because of how they constrict and pinch the neck, which should seem obvious. But it may be a surprise to you that even the ubiquitous extension-retracting leash can cause serious neck injuries, too, especially when a dog runs, feeling like her freedom extends forever, and then she’s snapped back to reality by hitting the end of the leash.
Neck and back injuries cause muscle tightness which affect the nerve supply to a particular area of the body. Here are a few examples:
...
4. Ideally do not play tug-of-war or, if you do, let the rope or leash gently slide through your hand and definitely do not lift your dog in the air while tugging.
5. Feed a species appropriate diet, nourish your dog with whole food, all natural supplements for better cellular and muscle function, and detox.
6. If your dog has suffered a more serious neck injury, see your veterinarian for further evaluation, however, remember that most vets have not been trained in musculo-skeletal assessment as well as have chiros, physios or osteopaths.
7. Never use anti-inflammatory drugs such as Metacam, which causes serious side-effects, unless you think that stomach ulceration, blood clotting disorders and kidney damage are a good idea. I recommend Zyflamend as a healthy alternative that I have used for three years in many dogs, with great results and no evidence of side effects.
For the whole article go to: http://www.peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11015041-why-dogs-lick-their-paws-natural-approach-to-treatment
Does your dog lick his or her feet? Have you been told that allergies are the cause? Do you find that no matter what you do or what special diet you were recommended by your vet, the problem remains?
You are not alone. I must have heard this story a million times by now. Most people are sure that allergies are to blame. Even I, at the beginning of my career, used to think that allergies were to blame. WHY DOGS LICK THEIR PAWS - NATURAL APPROACH TO TREATMENTby Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM
Does your dog lick his or her feet? Have you been told that allergies are the cause? Do you find that no matter what you do or what special diet you were recommended by your vet, the problem remains?
THE UNEXPECTED CAUSE: DOG COLLARSA small percentage of dogs lick their paws because of obsessive nervous licking, long nails, contact with chemical agents, and secondary bacterial infection because of the skin trauma caused by licking.
However, I’ve discovered that the majority of dogs lick their paws because of abnormal sensations in their feet. If you have ever had a neck injury or pain in your neck, you may have also experienced tingling or a "pins and needles" sensation in your hands. Dogs get this, too. It can feel like itching. They lick, presumably, in an attempt to make it go away, perhaps providing counter-pressure or counter-stimulation. And where are they getting these neck injuries?
Dog collars
The worst offenders are choke chains, prong or shock collars because of how they constrict and pinch the neck, which should seem obvious. But it may be a surprise to you that even the ubiquitous extension-retracting leash can cause serious neck injuries, too, especially when a dog runs, feeling like her freedom extends forever, and then she’s snapped back to reality by hitting the end of the leash.
Neck and back injuries cause muscle tightness which affect the nerve supply to a particular area of the body. Here are a few examples:
...
- front feet licking is frequently caused by a neck injury
- forearm licking is caused by tightness in between the shoulder blades (often caused by a fall, neck trauma, excessive digging or swimming)
- hind feet licking can be caused by tightness in the region of lumbar spine.
- 1. If your dog licks front feet, attach your leash to front attachment harness such asWalk In Sync and do not connect a leash to a collar, especially when your dog pulls.
2. If your dog licks the hind feet, stop him/her from sprinting, jumping up, leaping in the water or intense ball retrieving for at least a month and reduce this activity on an ongoing basis.
4. Ideally do not play tug-of-war or, if you do, let the rope or leash gently slide through your hand and definitely do not lift your dog in the air while tugging.
5. Feed a species appropriate diet, nourish your dog with whole food, all natural supplements for better cellular and muscle function, and detox.
6. If your dog has suffered a more serious neck injury, see your veterinarian for further evaluation, however, remember that most vets have not been trained in musculo-skeletal assessment as well as have chiros, physios or osteopaths.
7. Never use anti-inflammatory drugs such as Metacam, which causes serious side-effects, unless you think that stomach ulceration, blood clotting disorders and kidney damage are a good idea. I recommend Zyflamend as a healthy alternative that I have used for three years in many dogs, with great results and no evidence of side effects.
For the whole article go to: http://www.peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11015041-why-dogs-lick-their-paws-natural-approach-to-treatment