A lick lick here, a lick lick there. Here a lick there a lick everywhere a lick lick.
Every pet owner will notice a dog scratching, licking and chewing on some part of their bodies, and there are several reasons why they may do this.
One reason that female dogs may lick at their vaginal area is that if she is not spayed this can be a sure sign that she is in heat and is ready to be bred. She is licking herself to keep it clean. You may even notice a bloody discharge around the vaginal area and smell a foul odor also.
Another reason for an unspayed female dog to lick at her vagina is that she could have a vaginal infection which is called pyometra. She will lick herself to keep clean the area clean and a bad odor may also be noticed. The discharge from this is white. Some other signs of this in the early stages can be drinking excessive amounts of water and frequent urinating. As the disease progresses without medical attention the kidneys will shut down and she will stop eating and become very lethargic.
Pyometra is a common disease in female dogs and it is avoidable by having the female dog spayed at least by six months of age. If your female dog has been spayed and you notice her licking at her vagina this could be a sign of a vaginal infection or even a urinary tract infection.
The most common reason for a dog to chew and lick at their paws is from allergies. Dogs can be allergic to molds, dust, pollen and this will cause them to itch. All of the allergens in the air cause dermatitis for dogs. If you see your dog licking, biting or scratching excessively this is a good sign of allergies.
You may even notice raw reddened patches on their skin especially on their bellies and in between their toes. Their ears can even be red and feel hot to the touch and there may be no sign of scratching that has been noticed. You may even notice that the fur between the toes or around the vagina has a reddish brown stain on it. This is caused from the dog’s saliva and the constant chewing and licking around that area.
Your local vet can determine what the cause of the scratching is from and if it is allergies the treatment may include oral antihistamines or antibiotics and maybe a cortisone injection.
A lot of times a dog will lick and chew at one paw constantly everyday. A lot of times the reason for this is done out of sheer boredom. My dog did this so what I did was I took him to the vet and he checked in between all of the paws to make sure there was not anything buried in the skin such as a thorn and when the vet saw how red and irritated the skin was on my dog’s paw he said that he was just bored and was entertaining himself by chewing on his paws.
My vet suggested that I get another dog for him to play with. I followed my vet’s advice and within a few days the chewing on the paws had stopped.
Any abnormal behavior that is noticed in your dog’s regular routine should be brought to your local vet’s attention immediately.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a registered vet but I did learn many useful tips and vital information during my many years working for one.
