The Dog Health Problem Licking Excessively

Article Title: The Dog Health Problem Licking Excessively
Author: Wade Robins

Almost every dog licks himself or herself at some time or
another. This can irritate owners if it becomes excessive and
persistent. The explanations for this problem are many as some
reason are health related and some may be physiological.
Different breeds of dogs lick because of the characteristics of
the breed; others do it because they are frightened or have a
health condition. Determining the reason can be time consuming
for the dog owner, but a vet might find the reason quicker.

The Dog Health Problem Licking is Biological

Female dogs lick their puppies to keep them clean and free from
fifth. When pups are born, the mother cleans them after birth
and removes the film and body fluids that are common after
birth. This also helps to arouse breathing in the newborn
puppies. Another reason for the female to lick the newborns is
to get the puppies to pass urine and feces. The puppies will
sometimes lick the lips of the mother to persuade her to vomit
so they can eat, this does not always happen if owners help with
the care of the puppies.

Dog Health Problems Licking due to Psychological Reasons

Signs of stress or fatigue will cause a dog to lick
excessively. If you compare human behavior to a dog's behavior,
you will see that people twirl their hair or something like that
when they are bored or stressed and dogs lick themselves for the
same reason, they only have this to do. Dogs react to different
situations by licking and sometimes chewing on their paws or
legs.

In some cases, excessive licking may result in other health
problems such as dermatitis. Dogs make lick walls, floors, and
anything they can find. Around this same line, some dogs eat
fuzz off the floor as a way of expressing stress or displeasure.
If you have ever seen a dog with hair or fuzz in their mouth and
the continued mouth movement trying get it swallowed or out of
the mouth is just as irritating as excessive licking. Treatment
can only be given if there is an underlying health problem.

Some believe that behavior training corrects the problem, but
punishment is not the answer. Rewarding the dog for not licking
may take some time, but some dogs respond to this type of
training to correct the licking problem. Some breeders believe
in treats for curing excessive licking behavior.

If you notice any skin problems resulting from excessive
licking, you need to contact a vet to correct any conditions
arising from this behavior before a serious condition results.
Some dogs will lick and lick until they have bald spots, this
can cause other health complications such as dermatitis or skin
infections if the lick the shin raw. The dog health problem
licking condition may be something like adjusting the diet or
providing a quiet room for the dog to get away from all the
commotion that can cause stress. Either way, whether it is
biological or psychological, your dog needs some kind of help.

About The Author: You can also find more info on
http://www.aboutdoghealth.org/doghealthproblems/endocrine-dog-health-problem.html
on endocrine dog health and
http://www.aboutdoghealth.org/doghealthproblems/problem-health-dog.html
on problems with dog health.

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