Sam keeps licking

[samsezboo]

My Sam is 8 years old he just started last night licking the furniture
Pillows, the air, me. He did this through the night. I gave him
Some Benadryl thinking he was having an allergic reaction because he seems
To be swallowing hard. 4 hours later He has slowed down a little with the licking and is swallowing fine but is still Licking everything. This is out of character for him. He has recently visited the vet and has a fatty tumor besides that he is healthy. What is going on should I take him back to the vet again?

[Lacy's Mom]

Licking lips might be a dental issue, but have never seen the furniture licking. If you can reduce his weight the first fat to be lost is the fatty tumor.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Can be an obsessive type coping mechanism from something bothering him he doesn't know how to manage(physical or psychological) or possibly a form of seizure. I'd video his licking and take the vid and him to the vet for check up. Any change in behavior like that I usually take my dog in for an exam just to be sure.

[samsezboo]

Thank you so much for the quick responses. If he continues at this rate I will take him to the vet. He was just there a week ago and was fine

Thank you also for the info on the fatty tumor. I asked the vet if there was anything besides surgery - changebin diet and they said no only surgery so I will change his diet first.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by samsezboo

Thank you so much for the quick responses. If he continues at this rate I will take him to the vet. He was just there a week ago and was fine

Thank you also for the info on the fatty tumor. I asked the vet if there was anything besides surgery - changebin diet and they said no only surgery so I will change his diet first.

But he's not fine now. I'd get him in tomorrow - he could be doing this to manage pain, a constant, stressful itching he cannot reach or an unremitting sensation of some type he cannot manage to ease. That type of constant licking is worrisome and indicates he's reacting the only way he knows as dogs usually lick to ease discomfort of some type. Dogs don't have words so all we have to go by is how they act to tell us something is wrong with them. Have you checked his mouth and teeth to be sure there is no swollen gum, broken, decayed or abscessed tooth? Poor baby, I sure hope you can find the cause and fix it.

[samsezboo]

Thank you I will check his teeth and make a appointment in the morning and let you know what they find. He has stopped licking the air and now is chewing on his paws.

Thank you again

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by samsezboo

Thank you I will check his teeth and make a appointment in the morning and let you know what they find. He has stopped licking the air and now is chewing on his paws.

Thank you again

Poor little guy. Sounds like he's sure fidgety and uncomfortable. Sure hope vet can find what's bothering little Sam.

Give him the biggest hug for me!!!!!

[Wylie's Mom]

I would be concerned he's having reflux. For that, Pepcid works fabulously!

[tinav]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I would be concerned he's having reflux. For that, Pepcid works fabulously!

I was going to say the same thing...look up acid reflux on the net....besides Pepcid ac smaller size meals will help him digest his food and may also eliminate the necessity to give him meds such as Pepcid. You also need to.know how much.Pepcid. ..if I remember correctly you should break the 10gm tablet in quarter and just one quarter before meals....I did that maybe 4 times a week if he actually had bile coming up....check with.your Vet for dosage.
Tina

[samsezboo]

Sam went to the vet this morning- they couldn't find anything. I told them about the comments here and maybe his teeth or something. I had noticed a little cut on his gum probably from a toy. $$ the vet gave him a antibiotic for his gum and probiotics so the antibiotics won't hurt his tummy. I haven't given him anything yet but he seems to be better he is not doing the licking thing. So I am thinking twice about giving him the antibiotics.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by samsezboo

Sam went to the vet this morning- they couldn't find anything. I told them about the comments here and maybe his teeth or something. I had noticed a little cut on his gum probably from a toy. $$ the vet gave him a antibiotic for his gum and probiotics so the antibiotics won't hurt his tummy. I haven't given him anything yet but he seems to be better he is not doing the licking thing. So I am thinking twice about giving him the antibiotics.

I'm so glad you got him into the vet for a check-up and that the vet doesn't think it's a seizure type thing. Hopefully it was the gum cut that was bothering him and he didn't know what else to do for something that hurt or bothered him but lick - or it could still be something not yet found by the vet. If the area around the gums is even slightly reddened or swollen, with his history of that much behavior-change licking, he must have been pretty unnerved and unsettled by it all so why not go ahead and use the antibiotics to ease any underlying inflammation/infection? If there is no gum redness/swelling and he's no longer behaving oddly at all, I might hold off too.

Hopefully his body is healing his discomfort and he's past what was bothering him so. He sure found a way to tell you he was not feeling his normal self, didn't he, lol? Hope it's not a reflux but I'd keep that in mind if he returns to licking. Did you vet think some mild anti-reflux OTC meds might work for him if he returns to licking? Dogs manage to communicate pretty effectively if we just 'listen'. I'm so happy to hear he's not licking like crazy anymore and hope that episode is over!