Excessive licking

[thelastbutterfly]

My dog (son) Rusty has devloped an excessive either itching or licking problem. Now I know enough about Dogs to know it could be anything from flea control to cancer (I ruled that out because he only two) I protected him against fleas, bath him in an oatmeal and aloe-vera shampoo. and even have a little bottle for itchy skin that you spray on( he loathes that one) What else can I do to help my little guy?

[Ghilly]

If I can comment on something here, with all respect, Beneful is not the best of foods.  It' a grocery brand and even though it is touted as being healthy, it still basically falls under the heading of doggy junk food.  If you read the reviews of Beneful, there are multiple sites on the web that report that the food is responsible for causing allergies in dogs due to the high grain content and also for causing weakened immune systems.  If you read the ingredients list for Beneful, the very first ingredient is ground yellow corn.  Ingredients are listed in order of their quantity.  The fact that something that is considered a MAJOR allergen makes up the majority of this food is NOT good.  If he IS licking excessively because of allergies, chances are very good that the Beneful is the root of the problem.

Ghilly

[tonyb286]

You are absolutely right about carpets, particularly if you have only lived there a short time. The previous owner/tenant may also have used some of the dreadful chemicals (often seen advertised on tv) to clean the carpet - the worst of these for dogs are those that you sprinkle on and hoover off. These can irritate a dog's skin dreadfully. So, I would certainly suggest deep cleaning your carpet if possible - or better still, replace it, if that's a possibility.

Fleas lay eggs, often in carpets, and it is therefore very important to keep your dog protected from these, when they hatch. For a good description of fleas, eggs, larvae and what to do about them, read http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef602.asp

Hoping this helps. Tony

[thelastbutterfly]

Thanks for all the great ideas. I can see that this might take awhile to ssolve. I also think that it might have something to do with living in an apt. I hear that if people have dogs with fleas in an apt, then move,the fleas can lie dormant in the carpet. Then when a new dog comes along they come out of hybernation and attack the "fresh meat" He eats Beneful dog food for watching weight. And I did treat he with the between the shoulder blades stuff and a dog collar for extra protection. I will take all of your ideas and do them through a process of elimination. He does have a habit of eating things off the ground when he is outside. I rush to get it but he is too fast! So thanks again! Rusty says thank you too.

[Ghilly]

Where does he lick?  Is it a widespread behavior or is it limited to one particular area, such as the paws?

There are actually almost two dozen physiological causes for excessive licking, and when you factor in the psychogenic causes, the number goes well past two dozen.   Excessive licking can be caused by something simple (relatively speaking), like allergies, dry skin, parasites, bacterial infections,  or eczema, to more serious problems like hypothyroidism or joint pain, to possibly life-threatening conditions such as hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's Disease), liver abnormalities, or lupus erythematosus.  On the psychogenic side, causes can stem from boredom to depression to obsessive-compulsive disorder to stress to simply an attention-seeking behavior (even negative attention is attention, and constantly telling him to "stop that!" is, to his way of thinking, getting attention).

So, in terms of possible causes, excessive licking is probably THE most difficult thing to diagnose simply because of the plethora of possibilities.  For this reason, in order to be able to offer adequate or appropriate advice, it is necessary to have as many details as possible, even details that you might think are completely silly or totally inconsequential, because those might be the details that lead to the answer, or at least to a breakthrough.

In order to narrow things down, my best suggestion at this point in time would be for you to start keeping a journal.  Keep as many notes as you have to, paying attention to what he is eating (both in terms of dog food AND human food, snacks as well as meals), what the weather is like, where he has spent time (outside in the dirt?  In the basement where there could possibly be mold?), what his activity level is, what his general mood is, anything at all pertaining to your dog and, most importantly, what his "itchiness level" is that day.  As the days go on, you will more than likely start to see patterns in his behavior and be able to draw a parallel to his activities on those days, and from there hopefully a link to the cause will come.

Ghilly

[Margot49]

Agree with Tony as to his suggestions.  You might want to try rebathing him and using a vinegar rinse.  No, he will not smell like a tossed salad when dry.
Have you changed foods?  I suggest you try a grain free food, if you don't use one already. Perhaps try Pro Plan Salmon for sensitive stomachs (not the best of foods but have had good results with dogs with allergy problems.)  Natural Balance also makes one with Fish an Sweet Potato.

[tonyb286]

Itchy skin, as you rightly say, can be due to many problems - and you seem to have discounted the obvious one (fleas or mites) and are certainly doing the right thing by using an oatmeal shampoo. What did you use for flea control - and when? The next thing to consider is an allergy to something recently used in the home or garden. Have you used any sprays or other chemicals anywhere where he generally roams, inside or outside?

Is he licking/itching in one spot on his body, such as paws or groin area?

Tony