Licking, Smacking Lips? Don't Know What He's Doing

[ladyjane]

Allergy tests are not a waste of time! My vet does not recommend testing for foods. It is simple to do an elimination diet to find out if a food is the culprit.
But, for environmental issues, testing is accurate and helpful! You can do allergy injections...many pups do very well with that.

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Allergy tests are not a waste of time! My vet does not recommend testing for foods. It is simple to do an elimination diet to find out if a food is the culprit.
But, for environmental issues, testing is accurate and helpful! You can do allergy injections...many pups do very well with that.

My vet recommended bloodwork but didn't say anything about an allergy test. Cooper is eating food that he ate a year ago with no issues. I just took away something new that he tried. It could take up to 6 weeks to know if it's a food allergy right?

[AddieandMiaMom]

Originally Posted by AllDogBoots

My vet recommended bloodwork but didn't say anything about an allergy test. Cooper is eating food that he ate a year ago with no issues. I just took away something new that he tried. It could take up to 6 weeks to know if it's a food allergy right?

Our cat, Pickles, was on the same food for nine years, never had a problem. Then she started vomiting chunks of food. Switched her diet from poultry based to fish based and now no vomiting. So, conculsion is that she's now allergic to poultry, but wasn't the first nine years of her life.

The vomiting stopped pretty soon after switching, I don't believe it took six weeks.

[AllDogBoots]

I caught Cooper's behavior during the day on video and emailed it to my vet. She watched it last night and called this morning. Since his nose is running and eyes are a bit watery she believes it's allergy related. He's the worst at night, just like anyone with a post nasal drip would be. The benadryl does nothing for him so she recommended children's zyrtec for 5 days as step one. If his nose and eyes weren't watery we would try something different.

She believes if this doesn't work than it's some type of compulsive behavior that's become a habit to get attention. He started doing this when he had his throat infection. Now, in the middle of the night when he does it I tell him to stop and hold him. He stops.

She doesn't believe it's any kind of gum/teeth issue as he eats hard food and has no issues biting on bones.

[ladyjane]

I bet your vet is right...might just be a behavioral thing. They quickly figure out what gets extra attention! Middle of the night attention grabbers are not fun. haha

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

I bet your vet is right...might just be a behavioral thing. They quickly figure out what gets extra attention! Middle of the night attention grabbers are not fun. haha

He does it a little during the day at such random intervals. It's probably a mix of allergy and behavior. I definitely don't want to put him on any behavioral medication. The vet doesn't think it's a big deal but does want it to stop. One step at a time. He's so OCD with his rubber ball that I wouldn't put this past him either

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by AllDogBoots

He does it a little during the day at such random intervals. It's probably a mix of allergy and behavior. I definitely don't want to put him on any behavioral medication. The vet doesn't think it's a big deal but does want it to stop. One step at a time. He's so OCD with his rubber ball that I wouldn't put this past him either

I hope the zyrtec does the trick, and I agree that I wouldn't want to resort to behavioral medication. If it is a compulsion, I would investigate training methods first.

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by Maximo

I hope the zyrtec does the trick, and I agree that I wouldn't want to resort to behavioral medication. If it is a compulsion, I would investigate training methods first.

Absolutely agree.

[ladyjane]

I don't care much for medications of that type either.

[AllDogBoots]

UPDATE: Cooper has now been on 5ml of Zyrtec per day which seems to be helping. However, he still has a semi runny nose. Cooper had a "licking episode" about 4 days ago and I realized it was right after playing with his rubber ball. Also, the video I sent to my vet was of him licking directly after playing with his rubber ball. I just put 2+2 together.

I've since (the past 4 days) taken away his rubber ball and all other rubber toys. Removing the rubber + the Zyrtec seems to control the licking a bit.

He's still doing it a little bit during the day, but at this point I just think he's trying to lick his nose, since it's dripping. I suppose it would be like me sniffling if I had post nasal drip. I'm not sure why 5ml of Zyrtec has not dried his nose completely.

We are getting there.

[kjc]

The only other thing I could suggest would be to wash all his toys, you don't know what it is about the rubber toys, whether it was something mixed in with the rubber in the manufacturing process, that may have transferred to anything they touch ( like in a toybox). Speaking of rubber, do you have any area or throw rugs in the house with rubber backing? Especially those in the bathroom? Or bedroom?

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by kjc

The only other thing I could suggest would be to wash all his toys, you don't know what it is about the rubber toys, whether it was something mixed in with the rubber in the manufacturing process, that may have transferred to anything they touch ( like in a toybox). Speaking of rubber, do you have any area or throw rugs in the house with rubber backing? Especially those in the bathroom? Or bedroom?

I have rugs in the bathrooms with a rubber backing. I'm still not 100% sure on the rubber. About a week ago I took Cooper off of his Science Diet allergy food (yes, i know) and put him on Life's Abundance, which I've been wanting to start him on. It looks like the licking stopped for 3 days and then restarted again.

I'm certain it's an allergy and nothing more. It's just getting to the bottom of it that is so difficult. My poor baby. I've taken away his toys, his treats, his new food

[AllDogBoots]

So a month has passed. Cooper has been on his allergy food and Zyrtec all this time. He's had no rubber toys. I will admit that I gave in a couple of times and gave him some treats. Some of those treats included peanut butter. He still has shown some licking symptoms, but nothing like it was.

This evening I gave him a peanut butter cookie. He's licking his lips strangely again. It has to be the peanut butter. I'm not sure why he's not itchy. Maybe it makes him lick his lips?

I've also tried giving him Tums in the evening, which also has been helping. Not sure why Tums would help a peanut butter allergy, but I gave him one this evening and the licking stopped. Peanut butter could give him an upset stomach?

I just read a thread that peanut butter is the cause of many dog allergies http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...ml#post3250541

[lisaly]

Nuts in general are huge for allergic reactions. That's why some schools are peanut free. For some people, peanut reactions are terrible. Peanut butter is really sticky, though, and Ashley would do that even though she wasn't allergic. It also could be that we were trying to get her to take a pill in peanut butter and she was the master at discovering any hidden pills. I never used Tums, but we gave Ashley Pepcid every day for her stomach. Her doctor, who is very conservative with medication, said it couldn't hurt her. This is all such a mystery, and I hope you can find the answer to his licking his lips. I'm glad he's better than he was before.

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by lisaly

Nuts in general are huge for allergic reactions. That's why some schools are peanut free. For some people, peanut reactions are terrible. Peanut butter is really sticky, though, and Ashley would do that even though she wasn't allergic. It also could be that we were trying to get her to take a pill in peanut butter and she was the master at discovering any hidden pills. I never used Tums, but we gave Ashley Pepcid every day for her stomach. Her doctor, who is very conservative with medication, said it couldn't hurt her. This is all such a mystery, and I hope you can find the answer to his licking his lips. I'm glad he's better than he was before.

Thanks so much. You've been so supportive with all of my boys' issues! Cooper hardly seems irritated at all. I'll stop the peanuts/peanut butter and see if he's good to go for a longer period of time.