It may happen one day that out of no where your dog starts licking its lips like if he had some peanut butter on its nose. At first it looks like something is temporarily bothering your dog, but as time goes by the licking persists an your dog starts looking uncomfortable.
Perhaps, your dog will also try to lick the carpet or the floor or just the air, as if in an attempt to get rid of something. Concerned, you take a look at your dog's nose, gums and teeth. All seems normal. Yet the behavior continues. You take your dog out and your dog the starts to frantically eat grass almost as if she were a cow.
So what is going on?
oYour Dog May be Nauseous
In some cases, dogs exhibiting these symptoms are simply nauseous. They may drool, lick their lips to get rid of excessive saliva and eat grass, a natural way to make themselves vomit.It could have been that your dog ate something that does not agree with its stomach, or worse, it could be he ate something potentially toxic.
oYour dog may Have a Case of Bloat
If the dog is trying to vomit, drools, paces ans retches, but nothing comes out, the dog should be seen immediately as this can be a symptom of bloat. Bloat often causes an enlarged stomach and can be seen mostly in deep chested dog breeds.
oYour Dog May Have Oral Discomfort
Sometimes there may be actually something wrong in the mouth, causing oral pain and discomfort. Owners should check for signs or dental decay, periodontal disease, objects embedded in the mouth and swollen salivary glands.
In particular owners should look under the dog's jawline or under the dog's tongue for swelling. These are the locations of the salivary glands. If such areas appear swollen then this may be an indication of accumulate fluid known as a sialocele. This conditions needs seen by a vet promptly. While owners may be able to inspect the teeth, tongue and gums, only a veterinarian may be able to see over the soft palate all the way to the larynx by sedating the pet.
o Your Dog May Have Swallowed a Foxtail
Foxtails are grass awns know to cause a lot of trouble in dogs. These innocent looking grass awns have been know to travel up the dog's nose, in the ears, between the toes and even in the lungs. If your dog swallowed a foxtail very likely she will appear panicky, swallowing frequently, licking her lips a lot and eating anything she finds on the floor (grass, leaves etc). She may also lick the floor, people or walls for comfort.
oYour Dog May Have Focal Partial Seizures
In some cases, dogs may develop partial seizures that cause the dog to be still conscious and responsive but will lick the air and snap as towards imaginary flies.
oYour Dog may Suffer From Pica
Finally, a condition known as Pica can be a possibility if the dog shows symptoms of licking floors, carpets, walls or showing interest in eating foreign objects.
Many times dogs feeling nauseous will eat grass so to vomit and feel better. Owners of dogs that are suspected of eating something toxic should report to their veterinarian since vomiting up some substance such as caustics may cause more harm than good.
A dog that licks its lips and seems very uncomfortable should be seen by a vet promptly especially when this happens for no obvious reason. It could be your dog was exposed to something potentially toxic and immediate treatment may be what really will make a difference.
