I just finished reading an informative article on why pets lick themselves excessively, written by Morieka Johnson in Mother Nature Network.
She notices a friend cleaning his dog’s paws in water after walking in a park. He explains that there could be chemicals used to treat the grass. So the cleaning ritual makes sure his pet does not lick the chemicals on his paws, and so he does not bring them inside the house.
She brought up other very good points, such as allergies, joint pain, as well as keeping YOURSELF safe and healthy.
Here’s a brief excerpt from Morieka’s article:
When pets lick their front paws excessively, it is frequently a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder. “Think of a person chewing their fingernails or twirling their hair,” Price says. “It’s behavior that is soothing to them.”
To address the problem, Price says vets typically look for underlying medical conditions. In some cases, physical and mental stimulation can help. Check out interactive toys and try longer walks to burn off energy.
You can read the entire article here.
Article source: Morieka Johnson
Image source: Michael Gil on Flickr.com
