Question:
We have a 4-year-old mixed-breed terrier that has developed a rather strange habit: She walks around the house licking the floors and the carpet. She has actually rubbed the carpet bare in places.Our vet says she is perfectly healthy and definitely not malnourished. After eating (when she has left food in her bowl), she will walk around licking. She is not on any medications and rarely will lick her own body -- just the floors.She does this when she thinks no one is around and does not respond to a verbal "no," which she normally does for other bad behaviors. Any ideas?.
S.R., Newtown, CT Jun 10, 2007
Answer:
If your veterinarian has found no physical reason for your dog's compulsive floor-licking (such as inflammation of infected gums or throat), then we are probably dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder.Dogs with such disorders often show significant improvement when given Prozac, and I advise your veterinarian to prescribe it for your terrier.But just as a test, try giving her my home-prepared diet for four to six weeks. It is detailed on my Web site, www.doctormwfox.com. Some dogs are always hungry because of nutrient deficiencies in the type of pet food they are being fed, or have some stomach upset that makes them lick excessively as though preparing to vomit.
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