Question:
I have a ten-year-old Maltese terrier. He is constantly licking things. He licks carpet, cement, clothes, blankets — everything. If he sits down next to me he will just start licking my clothes. Why does he do this?
Rebecca Muir
Answer:
There could be a few possible causes for this behaviour so it’s probably not a bad idea to get your vet to check him over to rule different things in or out. Certainly licking constantly (and strange things) has been linked to epilepsy or altered brain activity. Sometimes before an animal has a fit (just like people), they experience an “aura” where they feel a bit strange (due to electrical changes occurring in the brain) and this can cause some strange behaviour. A fit doesn’t need to be thrashing around either; they can have tiny ones which can almost go unnoticed.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is another possibility. Usually related to an anxiety disorder (which is not unusual in these smaller dogs), they can use these repetitive behaviours to make themselves feel more relaxed and it becomes a bit of a habit. Your vet should consider a behavioural assessment as this can be managed with medication and behavioural modification training. Submissive dogs will lick other fellow dogs as an appeasement behaviour, so the dominance hierarchy in the family also needs to be considered.
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