What Does It Mean When A Dog Keeps Licking the Air? Should You Worry?
There is nothing wrong with your dog if he licks the air, it’s a normal thing for a dog to do. But when does it become a bad habit? There are a few reasons why a dog licks the air. But it’s crucial to ensure that your dog doesn’t do it all the time.
You can figure out why your dog might be licking the air by taking him to the vet so that the doctor can check for any signs of illness. A dog’s air licking is not a problem unless a dog keeps doing it all the time. In the middle of a walk, during bedtime, or whenever your dog is sitting idle, resting.
Let’s understand what does it mean when a dog keeps licking the air. This is a great way to know a little more about the common behavioral traits of your dog. Also, a good way to bond better and treat a habit like licking the air in a more responsible way.
Why Do Dogs Keep Licking the Air?
There are a few important reasons why your dog may keep licking the air. Pain, discomfort, indigestion, stress, compulsive disorder, or CDS. In any case, talk to the vet about your dog’s behavior or take a recording to show to the vet so that they can offer an effective solution to stop the excessive air-licking.
1. Tooth Pain & Gum Diseases
This is probably one of the most common diseases a dog can suffer from. Painful gums or teeth can alter the way your dog behaves. Constantly licking the air to ease the pain is a common sign.
Dogs usually lick the area where the pain is most severe. And oftentimes, excessively licking the tooth or gum can cause more pain, leading your dog to bite or even tug at the tooth that’s hurting.
Take your dog for an annual visit to the vet for professional gum and teeth cleaning. Other signs such as bad breath, drooling, lack of appetite, and facing difficulty when picking up kibbles indicate improper dental care.
Another example of this would be when your dog has some small object or string stuck in the mouth. Your dog may be licking the air excessively to get the foreign object out of their teeth.
2. Stress & Anxiety
Do you have new guests over? Or you’re in a dog park and a large dog is approaching? If your dog is constantly licking the air, it could be a sign of stress or anxiety. Dogs are very sensitive to their surroundings so they pick up such cues very easily.
Dogs also lick the air when they are nervous or when they wish to avoid eye contact. Licking the air is a way to reduce anxiety. Talk to the vet about anti-anxiety medication if you find that your dog gets agitated and nervous very quickly.
3. Sense of Smell
Did you know that a dog has 125 to 250 million olfactory receptors in its nose? Humans have 5 to 6 million olfactory receptors. This means a dog’s sense of smell is almost 10- to 100-thousand times more sensitive than a human’s.
The ‘vomeronasal’ organ is responsible, in dogs, for this heightened sense of smell. It’s located at the roof of the mouth, in front of a dog’s back teeth.
So when your dog licks the air, it can be to get a more accurate reading of the scent of their surroundings. Dogs instinctively boost their sense of smell by licking the air, this pushes the sense of smell-carrying molecules in the brain to act a bit faster for a better response.
4. Skin Issues
Dogs are sensitive to skin problems such as parasites, dandruff, drying, itchiness, fleas, etc. So they will constantly lick or bite or scratch the skin to reduce the inflammation and stinging ache.
But you shouldn’t allow your dog to do this all the time because they can hurt their skin with their rough tongue. Constant biting or scratching of itchy skin can aggravate the skin issue.
So when you stop your dog from biting or licking or scratching the skin, they may lick the air as an instinctual reaction to “mentally” scratch the itchy skin.
Omega fatty acids are very healthy and good for improving skin health. Consult with the vet to add more omegas to your dog’s diet. This will reduce the skin itchiness and also help in treating food allergies, fleas, and other sensitive skin issues.
5. Gastrointestinal Problems
Nausea, acid reflux, diarrhea, indigestion, or more severe gastrointestinal diseases can cause your dog to lick the air. In such a case, take your dog to the vet for a thorough medical examination to look for any underlying problems.
An upset stomach caused by food sensitivities, allergies, or spoiled food can further aggravate a dog’s air-licking. So you may not notice it at first, but if it gets too excessive, immediately consider a change of diet and proper medication to treat the condition.
Final Say
A lot of times new puppy or dog parents ask whether it’s okay to pet your dog whenever they see them air-licking. Petting can ease your dog’s discomfort, making him feel comforted.
If your dog is wagging his tail or licking the air as you’re petting him, it’s a good sign. Dogs communicate by air-licking when you scratch under their ears or on the belly. It is their way of telling you “Thank you” so you know they’re enjoying being petted!
If you’re too concerned about your dog’s air-licking, it’s time to visit the vet for a medical examination.
Proper exercise, mental stimulation, diet, and social interaction are essential for a dog. It helps them stay calm and get plenty of exercise on a day-to-day basis. But for other medical or behavioral causes of excessive air-licking, a vet will help you out.
