You may have noticed that your dog often licks his paws, especially the cushions, but you have not given importance to the question since all the dogs do it on different occasions and for no reason in particular. However, sometimes they lick excessively enough to hurt themselves because they bite to cleanse themselves more thoroughly. You can visit this buy best deodorant for your dog for the best understanding of the same.
The sweat glands in the bearings
Before analyzing why the dog licks its legs and in particular the pads, you need to know that the sweat glands are located on them. In fact, dogs sweat through various parts of the body, including the pads.
The main function of these sweat glands is thermoregulation: they produce sweat to regulate the body temperature of the dog. There is also an odoriferous component because they also have the function of producing substances that are decomposed by bacteria present on the skin when they reach the skin surface. The same glands always give the dog (or cat) a characteristic odor. In fact, one of the ways these animals mark the territory is with their legs.
It licks the pads for too hot or cold
In the case of extreme climates, characterized by very low temperatures, the secretions of the sweat glands can form small crystals and annoy dogs that live in very cold places. In fact, sled dogs like the Husky or the Alaskan malamute, have far fewer sweat glands in the cushions than other breeds of dogs.
On some occasions, the glands do not create problems, but the bearings can crack because of the cold , for example, if the dog walks on snow or on rocky terrain. In this case, to find relief, the dog can begin to lick his bearings compulsively.
On hot days or in places with particularly humid climates, it is always advisable to wet the bearings to the dog, precisely because they have the function of regulating body temperature. By cleaning this part of the legs, you will eliminate the remains of eccrine and apocrine production of the sweat glands so that they can continue to perform their function.
To get an idea, the dog’s body tries to secrete a substance that helps to help it lower the temperature. However, at the exit of the canal of the gland, the substance finds many predatory secretions that act as a cork, causing itching and intense malaise that the dog tries to alleviate by licking itself.
How to prevent the dog from licking his bearings because of the climate?
If you know that your dog has sensitive pads and will be exposed to excessively low temperatures, we recommend that you protect its legs with a special product, a kind of cream that is applied to them. Usually, these protective products are composed of acids and plant extracts, such as aloe vera or Centella Asiatica.
On days when it is very hot, instead, as we have said, we advise you to wet the dog’s pads often in fresh water to help the sweat glands continue to perform their thermoregulatory function correctly and eliminate the remains of the substances that prevent their functioning.
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