Dog Compulsive Floor Licking

While it is a behavior which can drive a pet parent crazy it is not without its serious side.

Dog compulsive floor licking. Excessive licking is a compulsive behavior which can affect any dog of either gender of any age and of any breed. If your dog is licking abnormal places such as the floors or the walls or if your dog is licking his her lips frequently these can be a signs of gastrointestinal upset. Liver failure also causes this weird licking habit. Your dog may have cushing s disease or hyperadrenocorticism in which his adrenal gland produces excessive glutocortisoid which can harm or affect many organs in the body such as the kidney and liver.

It is also known to cause the excessive floor licking. Try not to let any crumbs fall to the floor where your dog will be tempted to lick them up. Among the most common causes for compulsive dog licking chewing or scratching behaviors are fleas ticks and mites. There are a few things you can do to help stop your dog s tendency to lick the floor or everything else they see.

So if your dog is licking the carpet floor fabric or walls consult with your vet especially if these episodes tend to reoccur or last for a long time. Once it becomes obsessive your pooch s floor licking is considered a stereotypy. The origins of floor licking may be innocent enough your dog may have started it after meals when there were yummy crumbs on the floor but such purposeful licking isn t an obsessive or compulsive behavior. While a snack may temporarily help if it s caused by acid buildup it s important to find the exact cause and address the underlying problem.

Walk your dog daily at the very least and try to run swim or bike with him. Obsessive floor licking can also be caused by boredom. You could also try giving your dog an alternative to licking the carpet. One of the most important is to be extremely careful when eating.

Although ticks are often visible to the naked eye fleas often go unseen until. There are some dogs who are such dedicated floor lickers that vets have actually coined a term to refer to the problem. Petmd says this is a condition where dogs crave and eat non food items. Some dogs will also smack their lips or drool excessively when they feel nauseous.

If this is the problem your dog needs more exercise and mental stimulation. Licking can also be a sign of nausea in some dogs.