Tag: BluePearl Pet Hospital

Is there more to licking paws?

I am speaking of dogs!

Speaking for myself I haven’t ever given any notice to a dog licking its paws. Jeannie, however, would spot if a dog was over-licking, (you know what I mean), and would find out the cause.

This comes to the fore because The Dodo published a post in May, 2020, that I reckoned was worth republishing.

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Why Does My Dog Always Lick Her Paws?

Here’s how to tell when it’s a problem.

By DANIELLE ESPOSITO , Published on May 5th, 2020

You’ve seen your dog do it a thousand times — that cute paw licking that can quickly turn to “Hey! Stop that!” once it becomes a total obsession.

In general, paw licking is normal behavior for many dogs. They do it after they eat; they do it after they’ve been playing outside; they even sometimes do it before taking a nap. While all these are expected, you should start to take it more seriously if you’re noticing a sudden increase in licking, raw or irritated spots between their toes, or even loss of fur.

When it crosses the line between normal grooming and excessive paw licking, it’s probably time to try to figure out the root of the problem — so we chatted with one of our favorite veterinarians to get some expert advice.

Allergies

“There are a number of reasons why dogs lick their paws, but one of the most common reasons is allergies,” Dr. Alex Blutinger, a veterinarian from BluePearl Pet Hospital in New York City, told The Dodo.

“This behavior can be caused by environmental allergies, food allergies and even fleas or ticks,” he said. 

Dr. Blutinger said many everyday substances can also cause an allergic reaction, including things like pollen, grass that’s been treated with insecticide, certain plastics or rubber materials on food bowls, and even certain medications or shampoos.

“There are other caustic chemicals that dogs encounter in their environment,” he said, “[like] deicing salts to melt ice.”

This means that if you’ve noticed your dog is licking her paws more than usual, she’s likely experiencing allergies. If that’s what you suspect, it’s a good idea to chat with your vet about how to help her feel better.

Trauma to the Paws

Aside from allergies, excessive paw licking — which includes paw chewing — can also be caused by various types of injuries.

According to Dr. Blutinger, some of these types of trauma can include burns from walking on hot surfaces like cement or blacktop, splinters, broken nails, injured bones or ligaments, or even insect bites.

It’s a good idea to inspect your dog’s paws to see if you can find any physical trauma, and consult your vet if you think it’s something that may need extra attention.

Gastrointestinal Issues

“Interestingly, dogs that have gastrointestinal disorders (like pancreatitis) have also been shown to lick their paws,” Dr. Blutinger said.

He added that certain hormonal imbalances like hypothyroidism and Cushing’s disease can also cause dogs to lick their paws — which means a trip to the vet is definitely in order to sort out your pup’s health!

Anxiety

Finally, sensitive dogs can also display anxiety by licking their paws, in the same way some people bite their nails as a sign of nervousness. If you think this is the case, it might be a good idea to figure out why your dog is feeling anxious and find ways to help her feel better.

So while paw licking is generally normal for most dogs, if you worry it’s becoming obsessive, and you can’t figure out an obvious cause, it’s a good idea to check with your vet to make sure your dog doesn’t need extra care.

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I call that very sound advice.

Out of interest have any readers of this post had a case of excessive licking with their dogs?

Signs of anxiety in dogs

Eight signs for you to keep an eye out for!

Now I have republished items about this subject before but not for some time. This article which appeared on The Dodo was thorough in my opinion and, therefore, worthy of a republication.

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These 8 Signs Might Mean Your Dog Has Anxiety

By DANIELLE ESPOSITO, Published on the 21st July, 2021

Have you ever wondered if dogs can get anxiety?

Turns out, dogs totally can. And it’s important that you know what to look out for when trying to figure out if your dog does have anxiety.

According to Dr. Walter Burghardt, Jr., a veterinarian at BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, there’s a spectrum of anxiety-related behaviors in dogs, ranging from mild to severe (just like in humans). 

These are some of the most common signs that your dog has anxiety, according to Dr. Burghardt.

Signs your dog is experiencing mild anxiety

She’s lip-licking

A common sign of mild anxiety — or just being plain uncomfortable — lip-licking usually means that your dog feels uncertain about whatever situation she’s in.

She’s yawning more than usual 

Dogs don’t only yawn because they’re tired. If you’re noticing your pup is yawning more than usual, or not anywhere close to bedtime, it could be because she’s feeling anxious.

She’s more inactive (or active) than usual

If you notice your dog is keeping to herself more than usual — or, on the other hand, if she’s more hyper than normal — this could be a sign that she’s feeling anxious and unsure of how to deal with those feelings.

Signs your dog is experiencing moderate anxiety

She’s tucking her tail

If you notice your dog’s tail is tucked, that’s a sign that she could be experiencing a more moderate case of anxiety.

Her ears are flattened

If you see your dog’s ears are pinned back, it could be a sign that she’s experiencing increased anxiety.

Other signs of moderate anxiety include an increased heart rate, respiration and dilated pupils.

Signs your dog is experiencing severe anxiety

She’s trying to escape

If your dog seems to be doing everything she can to escape or get away from a situation, it could mean she’s feeling severely anxious.

She’s hiding

If you’ve noticed your dog is trying to hide from a scary situation, it could be a sign that her anxiety is severe.

She’s being aggressive

If your dog is showing signs of aggressive behavior, it could mean that she’s feeling very fearful or stressed.

Other signs of very severe anxiety could be that your dog freezes, or just doesn’t move at all.

How to help an anxious dog

If your dog is diagnosed with anxiety, her treatment could depend on a few things:

  • The source of the anxiety
  • The intensity and duration of the anxiety
  • How often your dog’s behavior is affected by anxiety

“For more severe and more frequent cases, anxiety is usually treated with one or more medications to help reduce distress and physiological arousal, environmental changes to reduce the distressing characteristics of a scary event, and behavior modification aimed at improving the patient’s confidence in the scary situation,” Dr. Burghardt said.

If your dog is experiencing more mild anxiety, this can usually be treated by desensitizing your dog to the scary situation and working on building your pup’s confidence — all with the help and advice of your vet or dog behaviorist.

If you suspect your dog is suffering from anxiety, contact your vet to see what you can do to help her feel better.

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Now I left out of the post three recommendations “You can also try some tried-and-true tricks to help calm down an anxious dog” (my italics) because I didn’t think you wanted products from Amazon.

But I would love to hear how common it is to have a dog that shows anxiety. Do you want to leave me a comment?

This heat wave

It has broken records here in Southern Oregon.

We had a high of 112 deg F. (44.4 deg C.) here in Merlin on the 27th June, 2021. That is hot in anyone’s language.

Fortunately first thing in the morning it was cooler, down in the low 60’s (F), and our dogs were alright with that. But in the afternoon it was too hot for them.

So it seemed like a good idea to republish an article from The Dodo about walking your dog in this heat.

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How Hot Is Too Hot To Walk My Dog?

How to keep those little paws safe 🐾

By DANIELLE ESPOSITO

Published on the 20th August, 2020

Have you ever felt like it was just too hot outside to walk your dog?

To make sure you’re keeping your dog safe — and his paws free from burns or irritation — it’s important to know how to tell when it actually is too dangerous to take your dog on a walk.

The Dodo spoke to Dr. Jessica Romine, a veterinarian at BluePearl Pet Hospital in Southfield, Michigan, to get some answers and tips to make sure your walks are always safe — and fun — for you and your pup.

How to test if it’s too hot out to walk your dog

According to Dr. Romine, there’s a simple test you can do to check if it’s too hot out to walk — and all you need is your hand.

“A good rule of thumb is to place your hand on the sidewalk or asphalt for 5 seconds; if it becomes uncomfortable to the touch, it is probably also uncomfortable for your dog to walk on,” Dr. Romine told The Dodo.

Signs your dog is uncomfortable

If you do need to take a walk on a hot day — or if it starts to heat up after you’ve already left home — keep a close eye on your pup.

“Dogs can suffer burns from very hot surfaces, usually in direct sunlight,” Dr. Romine said.

Signs to look out for include your dog starting to slow down or limp, or not wanting to keep walking.

If this happens, Dr. Romine recommends “checking their paw pads for tenderness, redness, or erosions and try[ing] to get them into the grass or at least shade.”

Tips for walking your dog in the heat

If you live in an area where hot concrete is unavoidable, you can try a paw wax to protect your pup’s paws. If you’d like to try one, Musher’s Secret Paw Wax is highly recommended by one of The Dodo’s editors, who uses it on her own pup.

“If you dog tolerates them, they are a fine option,” Dr. Romine said about protective products, “but remember that prolonged contact can still cause damage, and dogs still need to be monitored for signs of overheating.”

So in general, try to stick to the grass or at least the shade on your summer walks — and going out in the morning or evenings, when most surfaces aren’t in direct sun, will be much more comfortable for your dog.

(We independently pick all the products we recommend because we love them and think you will too. If you buy a product from a link on our site, we may earn a commission.)

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I must say that is a good piece of advice about placing one’s hand on the sidewalk.

We are lucky here because there is only grass to play on but not everyone is so fortunate.

Our dear Brandy!