Dogs that Lick and Chew

Have you ever noticed a dog that suddenly becomes a wreck within just a few months? A bundle of nerves, agitated and unsightly with bare patches of skin and clumps of bloody fur.  Nonstop licking and chewing on your pet’s own flesh could have serious, if not deadly, results. A few dogs don’t make it and die, causing their owners grief not to mention an unexpected pet memorial.

Often times the way this behavior begins is a simple thistle which gets embedded into your dog’s paw or fur. At first, the animal will spend time sniffing and licking the area.  It then becomes a small open wound. Usually, within a few days, the tiny lesion heals, but sometimes the dog keeps on licking. This licking often persists, but intensifies into chewing.  Now the original wound reopens and gets irritated again. Next it becomes badly infected.  The display of self-mutilation continues.

People usually take their pet to the vet at this point, and thanks to the miracle of modern medicine, antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drug treatments will often heal the wound. But some dogs continue with the manic behavior, requiring a behaviorist to make the problem come to a halt completely.  But in some cases, not before the pet has bitten off its tail, or chewed its paws raw, gouging chunks of their own flesh.

According to experts, a transition from excessive grooming to self-mutilation occurs when a clinically significant lesion appears on a dog’s body, and then the animal licks itself to the point of abrasion. Persistent licking often leads to extreme behaviors. The emergence of a minor skin lesion can be caused by a flea bite, tick, or thistle.  This stimulates excessive licking, chewing and aggravates the lesion, which results in increased licking and chewing. I most cases, the self-mutilation precedes the development of an open wound.  At first there’s probably itchiness with no lesion, but biting and scratching that area eventually causes inflammation and redness, hair loss, and eventually an oozing abrasion. That is when secondary infection follows, and if the infection remains untreated, the self-damaging behavior continues.

What dog owners need to know is that this undesirable type of licking and chewing can also be caused by a food allergy, or even an environmental substance. It can even cause tormenting itching or pain. Or it could even be neurological causes –an organic problem for example, that causes specific nerves to fire. It is possible for a dog with a neck injury to experience pain or itchiness in its legs or paws, so it will lick and chew that area.
The problem can usually be traced to some kind of underlying physical problem, a system illness, allergy or injury. But sometimes it is attributed to a behavioral abnormality. This could be caused from separation anxiety or animal abuse.

To reduce this risk of what is clinically known as canine self-mutilation; make sure that you groom your pet often.  Here are some tips:
• When you come back from a long hike on a dirt trail or in the mountains, for instance, carefully go over every inch of your dog’s body.  Ticks can hide and all you will feel is a bump under the fur.  Remove ticks carefully, pulling straight out with tweezers; don’t twist it and accidently leave the tick’s head in the dog’s skin.
• Be sure you check any area most prone to inflammation: all four limbs, the abdomen, tail, and the lumbar area just above the tail.
• Don’t ignore skin irritations or lesions, no matter how insignificant they appear. Consult your veterinarian for advice on treatment.
• Never push your dog if it seems to be over-grooming or engaging in alarming behavior. Ask a qualified animal behaviorist how to remedy the problem.

Sometimes older dogs don’t fair too well under self-mutilation, and there are circumstances when a pet dies from an infection caused by nasty wounds. Should your dog succumb to death by self-mutilation, make sure that family members have a chance to remember their beloved pet. You can select a custom pet urn, or grave marker, and be sure to let your children have a pet memorial service to remember your dog’s better days.  Today, there are plenty of ways to honor your pet – even an online virtual pet memorial.

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