Why is dog licking himself

You might not think that your dog is as concerned with hygiene as your cat, but dogs often engage in licking to clean themselves. However, be aware if your dog seems to be excessively licking his anal area , as this may indicate a problem with the anal glands.

Dog saliva contains bacteria-killing enzymes. When your dog licks himself, he may be helping to get rid of any dead tissue or keep a wound clean. However, dogs can get carried away with licking to the point where they may reopen closed wounds or cause other kinds of harm. Some studies have shown that the act of licking increases endorphins in the brain which calms the dog while it is licking.

It is important to intervene to lessen or stop this behavior before the dog licks off all of its fur usually confined to one site on the body, such as a leg or the abdomen , which can lead to skin infection hot spots and acral lick granulomas which are masses that occur secondary to chronic abrasion with the tongue and inflammation to the area.

These infections and granulomas can be painful to the dog. Diversion techniques can be instituted if your pet is over grooming. This entails close monitoring and side-tracking your dog when he starts to obsessively groom. If your veterinarian determines after examination and possible diagnostic testing that your dog is licking due to compulsive behavior or anxiety, there are some natural calming products that can be instituted.

These include calming drops for the water, calming treats, pheromone collars, and thunder shirts. Very dilute apple cider vinegar can also be sprayed on the skin to deter licking but should be discussed with a veterinarian first to be sure it will not irritate the skin further.

These natural products tend to have little to no side effects and are safest when starting a treatment plan. Keeping a low stress environment for anxious dogs can be very helpful also; quiet, low lighting, and slow movements.

Still, sometimes natural products are not enough to calm your dog and stop excessive licking. Your dog may also obsessively scratch or chew at the spot. Excessive licking can lead to the formation of hot spots, or red raw spots where the skin and fur is now missing. Your dog may grunt uncomfortably if the area is painful or very bothersome, or you may see your dog start to lick the area almost constantly even if it appears nothing is wrong. Excessive licking may also take the form of licking objects rather than your pet licking himself!

Dogs may lick objects such as the same spot on the floor, couches, bedding, flooring, toys and more over and over again until the object loses its fabric or a bald spot is formed [6]. This behavior may also extend to the repeated licking of other people or pets. There are quite a few causes of excessive licking, so finding the underlying problem may be difficult at first. For dogs that are intent on licking, chewing or scratching themselves only, the cause may be easier to find. There are six major causes of why your dog may obsessively lick [3].

These include: allergies, boredom, dry skin, hormonal imbalance, pain, and parasites. Allergies may be environmental or food-based. Environmental allergens tend to cause problems only where your dog comes into contact with the allergen, such as the legs or belly, or may present with full-body itching, redness, or rash. Food-based allergies may have the redness and itching, but may also have a digestive component such as bloating, excessive gas, diarrhea or vomiting.

Dry skin may be caused due to nutrient deficiencies in the diet, too-frequent of bathing, changes in weather, or allergies. Hormonal imbalance and pain may be due to a metabolic disease such as Cushing's, pain related to allergies, thyroid issues and more. Pain may also be present if there is an infection from bacteria, fungus or yeast on the skin. This usually requires a medical exam to determine the underlying cause. Parasites such as fleas, ticks and lice may all cause excessive itching along the entire body, or in key spots such as the legs, base of tail or back of neck.

Whether you realize it or not, we humans often have tiny food particles on our skin that our dogs can taste. Additionally, our skin has salt that dogs enjoy licking. Because of this, it is common for dogs to lick our faces and hands after we eat something. Grooming is another common reason for dog licking. One of the most common places for dogs to lick is their paws. After being outside, dogs often lick their paws to remove the dirt and anything else they may have stepped on.

Pay close attention, though, to how much your dog licks himself. Moderate licking is normal behavior, but excessive licking may be caused by an underlying medical issue. Specifically, continuous anal cleaning can indicate that the glands need to be expressed.

From cuts to grazes, dogs lick any wound that is painful or irritated. Dog saliva has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that can aid in fighting against certain bacterias. Furthermore, when a dog licks himself, it helps remove dead tissue and clean dirt from wounds. In addition to licking his own wounds, your dog may also lick yours. They do this to cleanse the wound and help speed up the healing process. Although licking wounds has some benefits, too much licking may be harmful to your pup.