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View Full Version : Food for thought...



Alex's Mom
07-30-2013, 04:31 PM
James has been driving me absolutely nuts the last couple of weeks with his incessant licking. He'll stand and lick the kitchen floor for 45 minutes until I make him stop. It's a new behaviour...he has always licked, but not obsessively like this. And it's the one behaviour in an animal that totally, completely gets under my skin. Like fingernails on a chalkboard :conf4:. Kim at Hotdog Hill Sanctuary posted this today on FB, and I'm going to ask Laura about it.

http://www.annarbor.com/pets/els-excessive-licking-of-surfaces-dogs-canines-study-gi-gastrointestinal-disorder-illness/

He's on so many meds, and has been so bored, and his liver toxins are building up, and I would bet anything that his tummy is indeed upset. It's esp. bad after he eats, which kind of indicates ulcers. I'd start with the pepcid, but sometimes it can interfere with the absorption of meds, so I'll have to have a chat with her first (she's away at the moment).

LexieLuvr
07-30-2013, 05:24 PM
Pica???

Ivan
07-30-2013, 05:41 PM
Hmm. That describes Holly perfectly. She licks everything, incessantly. Argh. And she certainly has some sort of GI issues too, but we're not quite sure what it is that often upsets her tummy.

Lisa
07-30-2013, 06:00 PM
I think for some dogs it might very well be true. For Pixel it is NOT. He is an obsessive licker and has a rock solid tummy (seriously best out of 4 dogs and that includes Pepsi who is Pica and has pooped some really interesting stuff). For Pixel I think licking soothes him. But I don't disagree with the article, and if your dog licks, you should definitely look at this being an underlying cause.

lotsadox
07-30-2013, 06:24 PM
Miller licks. I have the cleanest floor in the city in one spot under my desk. He licks it every morning :) I have talked to the vet about it and she just says that he likes to lick which is true. He has some occasional stomach upset but nothing that we've ever worried about. I agree with Lisa, some dogs just lick but you should have them checked out just in case.

SasatheRusty
07-30-2013, 10:54 PM
I wonder if probiotics would help. It's worth trying and/or asking about. The article was very interesting.

LexieLuvr
07-31-2013, 09:27 AM
When I take my Jack for walks down our street, he hunts out one particular weed and eats the heck out of the leaves - but it MUST be that one particular weed. Other than that, he's a pretty normal guy, thank doG.