Dog Constantly Licking: Possible Causes and Treatments

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The dog begins to frequently lick his lips as a result of increased salivation. If this happens infrequently or is a reaction to the sight of food and water, then do not panic - this is a natural process. But it happens that the dog licks his lips all the time. There are many reasons for this behavior, and some may indicate a disease in the animal.

Thirst and hunger

At the sight of food, the salivary glands of the dog begin to actively produce a special secret that serves to lubricate and facilitate the swallowing of food. The dog begins to actively lick his lips. This is a natural reflex that is normal for the animal. However, the dog may lick itself because of the constant feeling of hunger. You should carefully monitor the amount of feed consumed by the animal. You should not indulge the dog and feed it to satiety, however, you should not unnecessarily restrict food. The portion of food should be appropriate for the age, weight and breed of the dog.

Care should be taken to ensure thatthe animal had free access to clean drinking water. Consider how much water a dog should drink. On the day she should consume about 70-100 ml per 1 kg of weight. Naturally, on hot days, water consumption increases significantly. However, constant thirst can also indicate an illness in the animal. You should take water with you during long and active walks. Dehydration can lead to serious pathological changes in the body.

Injuries to the oral cavity and pharynx

If a dog constantly licks its lips, the first thing to do is to examine its oral cavity for injuries and inflammation. Dogs quite often suffer from dental problems: caries, gingivitis, stomatitis. To avoid them, you should carefully watch the mouth of the pet. It is necessary to periodically examine the teeth, and when the first symptoms of the disease appear, immediately take the animal to the doctor.

Problems with the oral mucosa can occur due to mechanical trauma. A sharp piece of bone can seriously damage the oral cavity. If a dog has something stuck in its throat, the animal starts to cough. The situation will be complicated if an infection is introduced into the wound. In this case, an unpleasant odor can be felt from the mouth. Due to damage to the mouth, the dog may refuse to eat and often lick, behave restlessly, rub its face with its paws. To help the animal, it must be urgently shown to the doctor.

Poisoning

Nausea can cause a dog to salivate excessively. The dog starts activelylick your lips. She may intentionally seek out grass and eat it to induce vomiting. Poisoning is often accompanied by profuse vomiting, diarrhea and high fever. If the animal picked up something on the street or ate something in the house, you can try to artificially induce vomiting to clear the stomach. To do this, with two fingers you need to press on the root of the tongue of the animal. After that, you should give a sorbent that neutralizes toxins. If vomiting continues and the animal's condition does not improve, it should be taken to the veterinarian immediately. To avoid poisoning, you should carefully monitor the diet of your pet. Food must be fresh, bought from trusted places. Household chemicals should be hidden in a place inaccessible to the animal. When walking, make sure that the dog does not pick up anything from the ground.

Symptoms and treatment of food allergies in dogs

Increased salivation can be the result of an allergic reaction in a dog. The main symptoms of food allergies:

• dog often licks and swallows saliva;
• itching and hair loss;
• increased body temperature;
• redness of the mucous membranes and skin.

Poor-quality food can cause allergies. To identify an allergen, you should clearly divide your dog's diet into different components to find the one that caused the negative reaction. The found allergen should be completely excluded from the diet of the animal. You can also switch your dog to hypoallergenic food. In the case of an atypical allergy, in which the allergen cannot be foundit turns out that the animal may need injections of hormonal drugs.

Problems with the gastrointestinal tract

Some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can lead to increased salivation:

• gastritis;
• gastric ulcer;
• new growths;
• inflammation of the esophagus;
• infection with bacterial and viral infections.

Gastrointestinal problems are often accompanied by the following symptoms:

• bad mouth smell;
• refusing food;
• dog has throat spasms;
• decrease in activity;
• stool problems;
• bloating;
• nausea and vomiting;
• drastic weight loss.

An unbalanced diet of an animal and poor-quality feed can lead to problems with the gastrointestinal tract. When choosing the right food, you need to pay attention to its quality, reviews of veterinarians and other owners. When the first symptoms of the disease appear, the animal should be immediately taken to the doctor.

Liver and kidney problems

The following diseases can lead to increased salivation and frequent licking:

• kidney failure;
• portosystemic shunt - a violation of blood circulation in the liver, which causes intoxication of the body;
• acute pancreatitis;
• Urolithiasis - accompanied by the appearance of sand and stones in the urinary tract;
• ascites - accompanied by accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity;
• amyloidosis, dysplasia,polycystic kidney disease.

Symptoms of kidney and liver problems;

• increased salivation and frequent licking;
• blood in urine;
• vomiting bile and blood;
• weight loss;
• decrease in activity;
• stool problems.

To diagnose the exact disease, the animal must be taken to the veterinarian.

Parasite

Infection with helminths leads to serious problems with the gastrointestinal tract of the animal. As a result, the dog may begin to frequently lick the face, lick the anus, comb certain areas of the skin, eat a lot or refuse to eat.

Since dogs have open access to the street, where they can come into contact with infected objects and animals, it is necessary to periodically prevent infection with worms. To do this, the dog, in accordance with its weight, is given a medicine that should remove parasites from the body. If, after the first dose, worms still appear in the stool, the medicine is given again until the stool becomes normal. At the same time, prevention should not be neglected, even if the animal looks absolutely he althy. Infection with helminths can lead to serious disturbances in the functioning of internal organs.

Stress

If your dog constantly licks his lips, it may indicate stress. Over time, this habit can turn into a reflex. The following reasons can cause anxiety in an animal: moving, changing the owner, going to the veterinarian. CostsIt should be noted that small minor changes can also negatively affect the animal: changing the usual food to a new, new house with an unpleasant smell for the animal.

An important component for the emotional he alth of a dog is the right attitude of the owner. Dogs are animals for which the hierarchy in the pack is important. It's just important not to overdo it when building a relationship with a pet. Do not scold your dog for no reason, beat him or break down for your bad mood. Don't forget to reward your pet.

Epilepsy

Epileptic attacks may be accompanied by frequent licking of the lips and heavy breathing. In this case, attacks can have different strengths depending on the severity of the disease. Mild seizures may be accompanied by snout twitching and nervous tics, in the worst case, the animal may convulse and lose consciousness.

Other symptoms of epilepsy:

• anxiety;
• dog has throat spasms;
• increased salivation;
• attempts to hide;
• convulsions;
• involuntary urination and defecation;
• loss of consciousness.

In the event of an attack, there is no need to panic. You should keep track of the time - the seizure should not last more than 5 minutes, otherwise the pet may need the help of a doctor. You need to make sure that the animal is not injured. Do not try to put a spoon in your dog's mouth so that he does not swallow his tongue. This will not happen, and the owner can only do harm by interfering. After the attack is over, the animalyou need to see a doctor to diagnose the cause of the seizure.

Thus, if the dog is constantly licking, you should carefully monitor the animal. This may be a completely natural reaction to the sight of food or lack of water. The mouth of the pet should be carefully inspected for possible injuries. If the cause of excessive salivation is still unclear, the animal should be taken to the veterinarian.