Dogs lick for many reasons, so licking alone does not necessarily mean a dog is in pain. However, excessive or unusual licking may indicate underlying issues such as a health problem or discomfort. Understanding normal dog behavior and being aware of changes can help identify when licking may signal pain in dogs.
What are some common reasons dogs lick?
Dogs lick for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the most common:
- Grooming – Licking helps keep a dog’s coat and skin clean and free of debris. It distributes oils across the fur to condition the coat and skin.
- Communication – Submissive or affectionate licking communicates deference or fondness. Dogs may lick each other’s mouths as a greeting.
- Boredom – Excessive licking can be a self-soothing behavior when a dog is bored or understimulated.
- Stress and anxiety – Licking provides comfort and releases calming endorphins when a dog feels nervous or unsure.
- Interest – Dogs lick objects or people out of curiosity and to explore by scent.
- Food – Licking bowls, plates or people’s hands may be motivated by the presence or expectation of food.
- Wound healing – Licking is thought to aid healing and keep wounds clean.
When does licking indicate pain in dogs?
While grooming, communication, curiosity and food expectation cause most licking in healthy dogs, excessive, unusual or targeted licking may signal underlying issues.
Excessive licking
Constant, repetitive licking beyond what is needed for grooming may indicate discomfort. Areas dogs lick when in pain include:
- Joints – Repeatedly licking at joints may signal osteoarthritis or other joint problems.
- Paws – Focus on paws may mean cuts, burns, thorns, blisters or other paw injuries.
- Stomach – Unusual licking of the belly can indicate gastrointestinal issues like inflammatory bowel disease.
- Genital area – Frequent genital licking may occur with urinary tract infections or reproductive issues.
- Hot spots – Incessant licking of a particular spot often precedes acute moist dermatitis.
Excessive licking plus other behavior changes
When excessive licking occurs along with other behavioral changes, pain may be the cause. Signs include:
- Agitation – An inability to get comfortable may accompany pain.
- Appetite changes – Discomfort often decreases appetite.
- Altered posture – Holding up or favoring a painful limb or body part.
- Less activity – Exercise and play decrease if movement is painful.
- Whining or crying – Vocalizations expressing discomfort or distress.
- Aggression – Growling, snapping or biting when approached or handled if contact is painful.
Targeted, localized licking
Focused, persistent licking of one specific area of the body is another red flag for pain. Reasons include:
- Injury – Licking at sores, wounds or surgical sites aids healing but may also indicate pain.
- Allergies – Relentless foot, belly or genital licking can signal itching from allergies.
- Skin problems – Licking skin reactions, rashes or yeast infections can reflect discomfort.
- External parasites – Chewing and licking at fleas, ticks or mites points to parasite irritation.
- Internal issues – Fixation on one area may reflect pain from underlying conditions like dental problems or bone cancer.
What are other possible causes of excessive licking?
While pain often causes unusual licking, other possible sources include:
Stress, anxiety, boredom
Psychological distress can motivate excessive licking. Contributing factors include:
- Separation anxiety
- Confinement anxiety
- Lack of stimulation or activity
- Change in environment or routine
- New people or animals in home
- Inadequate training or behavior modification
Compulsive disorder
Some obsessive licking stems from compulsive disorders. Typical targets include paws, flank and base of the tail. This psychogenic issue requires behavior modification techniques.
Attention seeking
Dogs learn that licking often leads to petting and affection. Attention-motivated licking rewards the behavior.
Medical causes
Medical issues can also drive excessive licking unrelated to pain, such as:
- Allergies – Food or environmental allergies cause itchy skin that dogs lick for relief.
- Parasites – Mites, worms and other parasites lead to licking and biting at irritated skin.
- Infections – Bacterial and yeast infections cause inflammation and discomfort.
- Neurological issues – Conditions affecting the nervous system may manifest as obsessive licking.
- Liver or endocrine disease – Metabolic disorders can create skin changes leading to licking.
How can you tell if a dog is licking due to pain?
Paying close attention to where, when and why your dog licks can help determine if discomfort is causing unusual licking behavior. Consider:
- Which body parts is your dog fixating on? Licking of joints, paws, or one specific area may signal injury or discomfort.
- Does licking seem excessive compared to grooming needs? Prolonged, repetitive licking hints at an underlying issue.
- When does the licking occur? Unremitting licking at odd hours like nighttime can indicate problems.
- Are other behavior changes present? Irritability, appetite shifts or decreased activity alongside excessive licking are red flags.
- Has anything in the environment changed? Anxiety and stress from change can cause obsessive licking.
- Have you recently introduced new foods? Allergic reactions to novel proteins often result in obsessive licking.
Tracking details about your dog’s licking habits and correlating with additional symptoms can provide insight into whether discomfort is at play.
What should you do if your dog displays pain-related licking?
Consult your veterinarian if your dog shows signs of obsessive, unusual or discomfort-related licking. Recommended actions include:
- Bring video or written records of when, where and how your dog licks. Detailed documentation helps your vet evaluate behavior.
- Discuss recent changes to your dog’s environment, diet or activity level. This contextual history aids diagnosis.
- Request a thorough physical exam. Your vet will check for injury, inflammation, skin problems and joint issues that may cause pain-induced licking.
- Ask about diagnostic testing. Blood work, urinalysis, skin scrapings and x-rays can uncover underlying medical conditions leading to discomfort and licking.
- Consider pain management medication. If your vet finds painful conditions, treatment typically includes pain relief medications alongside other therapy.
- Inquire about behavior modification guidance. For psychogenic licking issues, your vet can provide take-home protocols and referrals to animal behaviorists.
Quick, attentive action when pain is suspected can enhance your dog’s welfare and quality of life.
How can you ease discomfort causing your dog to lick?
Home care steps to alleviate pain and curb associated licking include:
- Address injuries – Clean wounds, bandage injuries and restrict activity that worsens pain. Give prescribed analgesia.
- Treat skin issues – Use medicated shampoos for infections. Control parasites. Discuss allergy management with your vet.
- Consider joint supplements – Chondroprotectants, omega oils and glucosamine/chondroitin can improve joint comfort.
- Provide soft bedding – Cushion painful joints and sore spots with thick orthopedic beds and foam mats.
- Distract with enrichment – Redirect compulsive licking urges with puzzle toys, chews and food puzzles.
- Utilize Elizabethan collars – Prevent licking that slows healing or worsens infections or hot spots.
Prompt veterinary guidance combined with dog-friendly pain relief, distraction techniques and forced rest promote healing while curtailing obsessive licking behavior.
How can you stop attention-seeking and stress-related licking?
For excessive licking motivated by attention-seeking or psychological distress, behavior modification techniques help break the habit. Useful strategies include:
- Provide daily exercise and playtime – Boredom and understimulation exacerbate obsessive licking issues.
- Train incompatible behaviors – Teach commands like “sit” or “go to your bed” to interrupt and redirect licking urges.
- Reinforce calmness – Settle and relax your dog before petting to discourage licking for affection.
- Manage anxiety triggers – Use calming aids to desensitize dogs to events causing nervous licking.
- Avoid scolding or punishment – Yelling or startling will worsen stress and anxiety motivating licking behaviors.
- Try anti-anxiety medication – In extreme cases, prescription anxiety-reducing medications can help.
With time, consistency and positive reinforcement, undesirable licking habits in response to stress, anxiety or attention-seeking can be corrected.
Conclusion
While dogs lick for many benign reasons, excessive, unusual or localized licking may indicate pain or distress requiring veterinary attention. Understanding a dog’s typical licking habits makes recognizing problematic obsessive behavior easier. Addressing root causes of discomfort along with behavior modification approaches can help resolve pathological licking. With patience and persistence, problematic licking often improves, enhancing a dog’s quality of life.
