Why is my senior dog suddenly licking everything? Is he sick?

Question

Why is my 10 year old Chihuahua licking everything.He just recently started doing this. Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) | Male | unneutered | 10 years and 10 months old | 8 lbs

Eryn Taormina, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi there! I'm so sorry to hear about Mud Bud's troubles. Sometimes older dogs can actually acquire dementia over time. This could be the cause of Mud Bud licking everything. There is also a condition called, Pica, where animals will ingest odd things, due to vitamin or mineral deficiencies. I always recommend evaluating yearly lab work in elderly animals (7+ years old) to insure that they don't have any health issues that may cause this. I also think that sometimes if dogs lose vision at all to any degree, which can happen in older dogs, they may start to lick things more often for sensory purposes. I think it is best to have Mud Bud evaluated by his veterinarian. They can get some samples for lab work and give him a full physical exam, and make sure that he doesn't have any pressing health issues. From there, they can make recommendations for his behavior. I hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck!

Why is my senior dog suddenly licking everything? Is he sick?

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