Dogs lick their owners

Without exception, all dog owners, opening the front door of the house, where their favorite is waiting, foresee a wild delight and an endless number of “kisses” that will shower their four-legged friend from head to toe.

What do these “kisses” mean – infinite love or something deeper? Let’s understand and begin with the origins.

The first such “kiss” is received by the newborn puppy from its mother, who with tongue and muzzle removes the remnants of the fetal membranes and mucus, clearing the airways, helping to begin to breathe independently. During the first weeks of puppy life, she carefully licks them, coping with contamination and keeping the coat and skin clean, removing pathogens that the puppy’s weak immune system can not cope with.

During the games, puppies begin to lick each other, as well as the mother, looking for attention and care and confirming the kinship, the unity of the pack. These memories persist until the end of life.

Appearing in the human house, the dogs begin to lick their loved ones, especially the owner, giving him preference over the rest of the family. Also, dogs can lick themselves in the presence of other people, letting them know that you are their property. This rather amusing sight touches all eyewitnesses.

You, probably, often noticed how, when meeting a dog, you first sniff you thoroughly, and then lick it once. In this way, she brings you to her “base” of smells and tastes. Thanks to the receptors on the tongue and in the nasal cavity of the dog, the next time you will be recognized quickly, “logging in” in a similar way through a kiss.
If your dog has recently become more loving, it is worth thinking, maybe something is bothering her. It is necessary to find out the reason for this behavior. This may be a manifestation of jealousy in connection with the emergence of new animals or replenishment in the family, but it can also be an alarming signal.

If you notice that the animal is licking some part of its body, due attention should be paid to this.

Usually, animals lick their wounds with a lick, which, however, can heal faster due to the action of a bactericidal agent – lysozyme contained in saliva. However, do not let this situation take its course, and the best option would be to receive an appointment with a specialist who will find out the cause of the pathology and help in its elimination. Although saliva contains a substance that inhibits the growth of bacteria, the mechanical effects of the tongue and muzzle can only increase the area of damage and introduce new pathogens that live in the oral cavity.

The owner should be alerted if the animal is bored in the corner of the room and monotonously sucks its paw. It is necessary to distinguish between the bad habits of animals to which they are susceptible due to lack of exercise, and signs of the beginning of the disease. So, the animal can expose the paw, which gives him discomfort. This may be a splinter, obtained during a walk in the woods or a painful itching due to allergies. In such situations, it is worthwhile to contact a specialist as soon as possible and solve the problem of concern to the animal.

If you notice that your dog constantly licks something under the tail, this can be regarded as a norm, and as a pathology. The norm is the period of heat in untreated females who, being neat, take care of themselves. If you are sure that the period of heat has passed, and the animal continues to lick itself constantly, the dog’s general condition also worsens – it becomes more lethargic and apathetic, the appetite decreases – you need to show it to your doctor. This can be a symptom of a problem in the reproductive system, from vaginitis to inflammation of the uterus.

If, however, for such activity you notice a dog – this is always a cause for concern. Usually, unpleasant sensations cause inflammation in the prepuce or pathology of the testes of uncastrated males. Incomplete animals that are unstable in psycho-emotional terms, who have smelled females can also fall into such a state.

It is also worth keeping a calendar of anthelmintic drugs and pararenal gland cleansing in dogs since similar symptoms in the form of skating on the carpet on the pope and licking themselves “under the tail” can speak of helminthic invasion or inflammation of the perianal glands that produce the secret with a strong individual smell. You can buy high-quality anthelmintic drugs and other veterinary medicine at Homelabvet.com.

Every day, pay attention to the peculiarities of the behavior of your pet, look at the spontaneous changes in his reactions. If your pet demonstrates unusual behavior, consider: perhaps this is a reason to contact a veterinary specialist.