The dog chews its claws. Why and what to do?

Both decorative dogs, and representatives of service breeds, and exhibition pets, and mongrels can gnaw their claws. It does not matter either the upbringing or the origin of the animal. The reasons for this behavior may be different. Starting the fight against a bad habit, first of all, it is worth understanding why the dog gnaws its claws on its paws.

1. grown claws The most obvious reason a dog bites its claws is that they have overgrown and are in the way. In this case, she will gnaw on all four paws. It would seem that there is nothing in this that could cause alarm. But, in fact, rapidly growing claws can indicate both improper care for the animal and violations of its conditions. A sedentary lifestyle, rare walks and even excessive appetite – all this accelerates the growth of the animal’s claws.

2. Stress Bad habits can also form under stress. Moreover, the length of the claws does not affect this in any way: the dog pulls even just trimmed claws. In this, animals are not much different from humans.

3. External stimuli In the cold season, a pet can gnaw its claws due to the chemicals that are used to treat the streets. They get on the delicate skin of the paw pads and corrode it. The same discomfort is caused by dirt and sand caught between the fingers.

4. Various diseases Possible diseases cannot be ruled out – for example, allergies, dermatitis and fungus. As a rule, they cause unpleasant sensations of burning, itching, so that the pet tries to cope with them on its own. It is worth paying attention to those cases when the dog gnaws its claws only on the front paws or only on the hind legs – most likely, the cause of this behavior will be an infection that affects certain parts of the body. The same group of causes includes scratches, cuts, external injuries of the foot, as well as various types of arthritis and joint damage.

There are many factors why a pet is bothered by his claws, and not always there is only one reason – it can be a combination of them.

What to do when a dog bites its claws?

1. Rinse the paws, remove dirt, dust and sand accumulated between the pads and on the coat.

2. Examine the claws. If they are too long, obviously the dog is trying to trim them himself.

3. You can cut your nails yourself or contact a professional. In the first case, you will have to be patient: even a dog accustomed to this procedure rarely remains calm.

4. If you notice that the claws have begun to grow much faster, tell your veterinarian about it. It may be necessary to change the pet’s diet, spend much more time with him on the street, walk more often on a hard surface.

5. Small cuts and scrapes can be treated with hydrogen peroxide. But be sure to keep an eye on them.

6. On a walk, boots will help protect your pet’s paws from reagents. Of course, a rare dog will be able to wear them for a long time, so you can only put on shoes in order to overcome areas that have been abundantly treated with chemicals.

7. If outwardly everything is in order with the claws and their length, you should make an appointment at the veterinary clinic. Only a specialist can diagnose and prescribe appropriate treatment.

8. If the development of a bad habit provoked stress, try to eliminate irritants from the dog’s life, or at least minimize them.

April 28 2018

Updated: July 6, 2018