Why is my dog licking and biting himself

Excessive licking in dogs: Vet's guide to causes and treatment

Excessive licking in dogs is an act that can test the patience of a saint. However, your dog isn't licking to be difficult. Excessive licking is a sign of a larger issue at play. The core reason for this behavior can stem from a large variety of both medical conditions and behavioral issues. Irrespective of the cause, all require investigation and treatment.

It is not recommended to ignore excessive licking or dismiss its importance. Discovering and treating the underlying reason why your dog licks a lot, whether this is their paws or elsewhere on their bodies, is the key to stopping this behavior.

Tests, veterinary care and treatments can add up, however, and chronic and excessive licking may turn into a lengthy and complex process to find the correct cause, therefore increasing your costs and expenses. This isnt the same in all cases but it is a detail to factor in.

By taking out the best pet insurance before your dog experiences any health or behavioral issues, will help pay for most of these costs. It also gives you peace of mind and freedom to treat your dog how you wish to, when you want to. That ease is worth having and means you can keep your dog happy, healthy and your bank account wealthy.

What does excessive licking in dogs mean?

Licking is a normal behavior in dogs, and dogs may lick their owners as a sign of affection, to seek attention, or even just if they think their human tastes good!

When licking becomes excessive, however, it is usually a sign that something is wrong, as it can indicate anxiety, stress, boredom, pain, or an underlying health condition.

In general, a dogs licking is considered excessive if they cause trauma to themselves or if the behavior interrupts their normal daily activities.

If a dog licks themselves continuously, one potential consequence is the development of acral lick dermatitis. This skin condition occurs when a dog licks or chews one area of skin, usually over the wrists or forearms, to the point of causing hair loss, red or thickened skin, oozing, and sometimes infection.

Licking can release endorphins in dogs, so this can become a repetitive cycle regardless of the initial trigger.

Is excessive licking a sign of pain in dogs?

Yesexcessive licking can be a sign of pain in dogs. Like humans rub painful areas to make themselves feel better, dogs lick painful areas to relieve some of the pain, or if they cant reach, they may lick a closer body part like their front legs.

Common causes of excessive licking include arthritis and skin allergies, but there are numerous potential triggers.

Causes of excessive licking in dogs

The following medical issues can cause excessive licking in dogs:

• Painful conditions of the bones, joints, and muscles including osteoarthritis, soft tissue injuries, fractures, and degenerative joint disease
• Skin conditions such as external parasites (like fleas or mites), food or environmental allergies, skin cancer, and acral lick dermatitis
• Gastrointestinal issues such as food sensitivities, dietary indiscretion, a sudden change in diet, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal parasites (like worms)
• Infections of the skin, mouth, intestines, urinary tract, or reproductive tract
• Anal gland impaction
• Dental disease
• Oral cancer
• Hypothyroidism
• Cushings disease
• Trauma

Is excessive licking a sign of anxiety in dogs?

Yesexcessive licking can be indicative of anxiety in dogs. When dogs become anxious, bored, or stressed, they may perform repetitive behaviors such as licking to calm themselves down or entertain themselves. If this behavior isnt addressed promptly, this licking can lead to medical issues like inflamed or infected skin and acral lick dermatitis.

In addition to anxiety in dogs (including separation anxiety), other behavioral conditions can cause excessive licking or other repetitive behaviors in dogs, including canine compulsive disorder (also sometimes referred to as OCD in dogs, which is similar to OCD in humans), canine dysfunctional behavior (similar to autism spectrum disorder in humans - see our guide to 'can dogs be autistic?' for more information - and canine cognitive disorder, or doggie dementia."

Diagnosing excessive licking in dogs

In order to stop a dog from licking excessively, the root cause must first be identified. While it may require you to learn how to calm a dog down, because there are numerous causes of excessive licking in dogs, there is a wide range of potential management and treatment approaches.

The first step is to determine whether the dog has any underlying medical conditions. Their vet will obtain a thorough clinical history and perform a physical examination to look for evidence of injuries, infection, orthopedic issues, skin conditions, neurological disorders, systemic diseases, and possible behavioral problems.

Depending on these findings, they may perform diagnostic tests such as blood and urine tests, skin investigations, and imaging such as X-rays.

If no obvious cause of excessive licking is detected, the vet may wish to do a pain relief medication trial with drugs such as tramadol or gabapentin, or they may recommend referral for more advanced imaging techniques such as MRI or CT.

Dr. Diana Hasler BVM&S MRCVS

Dr. Diana Haslergraduated with distinction from the University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in 2018. She has experience working as a small animal veterinarian in general practice, where she has treated many dogs, cats, rabbits, and rodents. She has also recently branched out into the field of medical communications, doing freelance work as a medical editor and writer.

Treating excessive licking in dogs

Any underlying health conditions should be treated promptly to minimize the chances of excessive licking becoming a persistent problem:

Medication and collars

If the dog has caused any trauma to themselves, they may require pain relief or anti-inflammatory medications. Any infections should be treated with systemic antibiotics, which may help stop the cycle of licking.

Dogs who develop acral lick dermatitis may also benefit from a buster collar/E-collar to prevent them from damaging their skin further.

Dogs who have behavioral disorders may also require prescription medications to help stop excessive licking.

For example, dogs with canine compulsive disorder often benefit from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Prozac, which helps reduce the urge to perform compulsive, repetitive behaviors like licking.

Dogs with chronic behavioral conditions may also benefit from referral to a certified veterinary behaviorist.

Avoid triggers

If no medical issues are detected, the dog is likely licking incessantly for behavioral reasons. In these cases, triggers should be avoided (i.e., not leaving a dog with separation anxiety by itself) and dogs should be given enough exercise and mental stimulation.

Behavioral modification training

Behavioral modification training should also be implemented. For example, when dogs are licking due to anxiety or boredom, they should be redirected to another activity, such as a puzzle toy or training commands, and rewarded when taking part in activities other than licking.

For dogs who lick their owners when they want attention, they should be ignored until they stop, as giving them attention is rewarding them for licking.

Summary

Dogs who lick excessively should be taken to their veterinarian to determine if they have any health conditions or behavioral issues that require treatment.

It is best to do this sooner rather than later, as excessive licking can become a learned, self-soothing behavior that can persist even after the underlying cause is addressed.

Why is my dog itching, scratching, and biting himself constantly?

Scratching, biting, chewing, licking an itchy dog certainly makes his presence known! If your dog is itching excessively, it is worth a trip to your veterinarian to get to the bottom of whats causing the scratching.

There are several causes of itching in dogs, and identifying the underlying cause of the itch is essential to getting it treated quickly and correctly. Proper treatment of the cause of the itch is necessary to resolve it unfortunately, home remedies and quick fixes just wont do the trick in this case!

To help you get your dogs itching under control, read on to learn more about dog itching and what you can do to help your dog.

Causes of dog itching

There are many reasons that a dog can be itchy, just as there are many different things that can make a person itchy:

Parasites

One of the primary concerns with itchy dogs is parasites. Although we often think of fleas when we think of pet parasites, there are also many other types of parasites that affect our canine friends.

While fleas are large enough to be visible on your dogs fur, other types of parasites like mites are microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye. This is why its always important to have your itchy pet evaluated by a veterinarian. You dont want parasites lurking in your home!

Infections or allergies

Dogs can also be itchy because of other skin conditions such as skin infections, ear infections, allergies, or atopy. These three conditions can all look alike, so it is essential for your dog to be appropriately diagnosed by a veterinarian to determine the underlying cause of the itch.

Signs of dog itching

Many pet owners notice their dogs frequently chewing, biting, and scratching at themselves. Sometimes it happens so constantly that it keeps pet owners awake at night!

But what about the more subtle signs of dog itching? Other symptoms that your dog has been itchy can include:

• Frequent licking
• Brown discoloration of the fur (saliva staining)
• Head shaking
• Self-trauma such as scratch marks, scabbing, or bleeding
• Hair loss
• Rashes

If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog, its time to see a veterinarian. Your veterinarian will perform a full head to tail physical examination and may recommend some additional diagnostic testing such as a skin scraping to check for parasites, ear swabs to look for ear infection, or cytology samples of the skin to evaluate for bacteria and yeast infections.

Once the underlying cause of your dogs itching has been diagnosed, your vet will be able to prescribe appropriate treatment.

Treating itching in dogs

Treating your dogs itching first involves treating the underlying cause of the itch. Treating the itch alone will not solve the problem if the underlying cause is not addressed.

For example, if your dog has parasites, treating the itch alone will not solve the problem. The best course of treatment will be to treat the parasites with an appropriate medication, which will stop the itch from occurring.

Similarly, if your dog has a skin infection, your veterinarian may prescribe antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications to help treat the infection and stop the itch. For dogs with allergies or atopy, medications to address these concerns may be prescribed, or your dog may need to be on a prescription diet to address food allergies.

Once the cause of the itch has been appropriately addressed, the itching and its associated symptoms should improve or completely resolve.

Home remedies to treat dog itching

There are no effective home remedies to treat dog itching, because these treatments do not address what caused the itch in the first place. In order to effectively resolve your dogs itching, it is essential to identify and address the underlying cause of the itch, whether it is parasites, allergies, skin infections, or another dermatological condition.

This is why it is best to see your veterinarian first for any concerns about your dogs itching. Your veterinarian will help you determine the best course of action to treat your dogs itching as quickly and effectively as possible.

As always, never give your dog any over the counter treatments, home remedies, or medications intended for humans without first consulting your veterinarian for advice. Many of these products can be toxic to dogs, especially if given at the wrong dosages.

When to visit your vet

How do you know when your dogs itching is excessive? Veterinarians like to use the Dog and Cat Itch Scale to determine how itchy your pet really is. To use the scale, pay close attention to your pet for a day and consider how often you see him or her itching, scratching, biting, or licking.

Is it more frequent than normal? Is he or she distracted from playing, eating, or sleeping by the need to scratch? Does he or she wake up from sleep to scratch? Or, worst of all, do you need to physically restrain him or her to stop the scratching? If your pet has more than the occasional itch, then its time to see a veterinarian, and all this information will help your vet get to the bottom of the problem.

Summary

Itching is one of the most common reasons dogs are brought to the veterinary clinic. There are a number of different causes for itching, and determining the underlying cause of the itch is essential to treating it quickly and effectively. The type of treatment your vet prescribes will depend on the underlying cause.

It is generally best to avoid home remedies or over the counter treatments, as these do not treat the underlying cause of the itch and may not be safe for your pet. If you have questions about your pets itching, contact your veterinarian for further advice and instructions.