Paw biting is a common concern for dog owners, often causing distress for both the pet and their human companions. The persistent sound of chewing can be draining, leaving many owners searching for answers. This guide aims to help you understand the potential reasons behind your dog’s paw biting and offer strategies to alleviate this behavior.
Exposure to Chemicals
Contact with various chemicals can significantly impact your dog’s overall health, particularly their gut health. This can manifest as symptoms like itchy paws and other sensitive areas. Let’s explore how common treatments, household cleaners, and environmental products might contribute to paw biting.
Flea and Worm Treatments
While seemingly counterintuitive, flea and worm treatments, whether administered orally or topically, can be a source of paw biting. These products can be harsh on a dog’s system, causing both internal and external damage. Beyond potential chemical burns, skin irritation, and neurological issues, they can also harm the gut. A compromised gut can trigger a histamine response, leading to excessive itching, licking, and ultimately, paw biting. Switching to natural alternatives for flea and worm prevention is highly recommended.
Household Cleaning Products
It’s crucial to be aware of the ingredients in your household cleaning and laundry products. Many contain skin irritants that can affect your dog. Opt for natural cleaning solutions whenever possible. Some pet-focused companies offer natural or probiotic-based laundry and cleaning products, or you can even create your own. Even products labeled “pet friendly” may still cause skin irritations, as they simply won’t kill your pet. Dogs frequently come into contact with their paws on floors and soft furnishings, increasing their risk of developing contact allergies on their feet, which can lead to biting.
Environmental Products
Navigating environmental toxins can be challenging. In many areas, public spaces are treated with weed killers, and other environmental products like patio cleaners, professional astroturf cleaners, and grit/antifreeze can also contribute to paw biting. Regularly washing your dog’s paws after walks is an excellent way to minimize the risk of these toxins affecting their comfort.
Yeast Overgrowth
A common symptom accompanying paw biting is a rusty discoloration on and around the toes, indicative of yeast. Yeast issues can stem from two primary sources: the gut or the skin. Most cases of yeast are linked to an unhealthy gut, which allows Candida to overgrow. Less commonly, dogs might develop Malassezia, a yeast infection solely on the skin.
Candida Overgrowth
Candida is a naturally occurring fungus found on the skin and in the gut. When present in balanced amounts, it’s a healthy component of the microbiome. Problems arise when Candida outcompetes beneficial bacteria, leading to a yeast infection. This often occurs in the small intestine, a condition known as Small Intestine Fungal Overgrowth (SIFO). Overgrowths can be triggered by exposure to toxins, poor gut health (weakening the immune system), allergies, intolerances, and antibiotic use. Antibiotics, while targeting harmful bacteria, also eliminate beneficial ones, creating an environment where fungi like Candida can thrive.
Since yeast thrives on sugar, it’s essential to eliminate high-carbohydrate, starchy, and sugary foods from your dog’s diet. Dry kibble, for instance, can contain a significant percentage of carbohydrates. A balanced fresh food diet is often the best approach. Addressing allergies and intolerances through an elimination diet and supporting gut healing with mucilage herbs and probiotics is also crucial for resolving intolerances. Heavy metals, found in some fish like tuna, vaccines, and even tap water, can also promote yeast growth. Opting for filtered water and avoiding products contaminated with heavy metals is advisable. Focusing on gut health is paramount; supplements like Gut Guardian can be beneficial.
Malassezia Folliculitis
Primarily affecting the skin, Malassezia Folliculitis is a yeast fungus specific to the skin. Often referred to as fungal acne, Malassezia can cause acne-like pimples by infecting hair follicles. While Malassezia can be more challenging to treat than Candida, it rarely affects the paws.
Allergies and Intolerances
It’s important to distinguish between allergies and intolerances, as they are often confused. Intolerances are a digestive inability to break down specific foods, particularly proteins, leading to digestive issues. These can often be managed and improved through gut support with mucilage herbs and probiotics, such as the Gut Guardian supplement. Allergies, on the other hand, are immune-mediated responses and are generally more severe, sometimes posing life-threatening risks. Interestingly, in cases of food reactivity, approximately 10% are true allergies, while 90% are intolerances.
Food Allergies and Intolerances
Food allergies and intolerances can contribute to paw biting due to compromised gut integrity, which triggers a histamine response in the body. An influx of histamine commonly results in itching, which can occur all over the body. Signs of itching include red sores, constant scratching, restlessness, and heavy panting. Paw biting is a frequent symptom, indicating that the dog’s paws are itchy as part of the immune system’s reaction to foreign particles in the bloodstream.
Contact Allergies
Contact allergies are true immune responses, unlike intolerances. While not typically life-threatening, they can significantly impact a dog’s quality of life. Many dogs struggle with seasonal allergies, which are contact allergies to environmental elements like pollens and grasses. Supporting gut health is vital, as 70-80% of the immune system resides in the gut, and all allergies are linked to poor immune health. Rinsing your dog’s paws after they’ve been in the garden or on walks can help remove allergen particles and reduce paw biting. Using Epsom salts and baking soda in the rinse water may also help soothe the area, draw out toxins, and remineralize the paws.
Stress and Anxiety
Paw biting can be a significant indicator of stress and anxiety in dogs. Whether stemming from a recent rescue situation, an upsetting event at home, issues with other pets or people, separation anxiety, or other stressors, paw biting can be one of the few outward signs if subtler behavioral cues are missed. While it may seem unusual, chewing can provide comfort to anxious dogs by releasing serotonin, often called the “happy hormone.” Serotonin promotes calmness, making dogs feel happier and more level-headed. If dogs aren’t provided with sufficient outlets for chewing, such as long-lasting treats and chews, they may turn to their paws. Sometimes, even with an abundance of toys, they will chew their feet simply because they are readily available for an instant serotonin release. You may find the Calm Complex supplement helpful in managing anxiety.
Anal Glands
When a dog’s anal glands are full, owners often notice their dog scooting their rear end on the ground. Another common sign that the anal glands require attention is paw biting, particularly on the hind legs. This is largely due to discomfort, which the dog attempts to alleviate by chewing their back paws. Paw chewing stemming from full anal glands can often be resolved naturally through dietary supplementation. In some instances, manual expression may be necessary, but this is typically a procedure performed by a veterinarian or vet nurse. Regular manual expression can weaken the anal muscles, leading to more frequent gland filling—a vicious cycle. High-fiber supplements, such as psyllium husks, can aid in naturally expressing the anal glands. Feeding a fresh diet that includes raw bone and/or lightly cooked, high-fiber vegetables can also help keep the anal glands clear. You can learn more about maintaining healthy anal glands naturally here.
Musculoskeletal Pain
Similar to the discomfort caused by full anal glands, paw biting can signal pain elsewhere in the body, particularly in the spine, hips, elbows, hocks, and toes. Paw chewing is also common in dogs with arthritis. As with anxious dogs, the reason a dog might chew its paw when in pain is for the serotonin release it provides, offering a sense of comfort. Grass seeds can become lodged in the toes or pads and, due to their barbed nature, can travel further into the foot, causing significant pain and potentially infection. If your dog has walked through grassy areas, especially during spring and summer, and exhibits uncharacteristic excessive paw biting, it is crucial to seek veterinary attention promptly. A vet can scan for a grass seed and remove it before it migrates too deeply into the body.
Underlying Disease
Paw biting can also be a symptom of various secondary infections, inflammation, or discomfort related to underlying diseases. While the previously mentioned points should be ruled out first, persistent paw biting might accompany other illnesses. In such cases, it is essential to have your veterinarian assess for any underlying medical conditions contributing to the behavior.
Does any of these potential reasons resonate with your situation? If you require additional support in understanding and addressing your dog’s paw biting or any other health concerns, consider booking a consultation with one of our team members. At My Pet Nutritionist, we recognize that every case of paw biting is unique to the individual dog, and we approach each situation with a tailored, unique plan.
Team MPN x
