10 reasons why your dog is licking excessively

February 18, 2026 6 min read

A veterinarian will often be asked in an appointment, why is my dog licking everything excessively suddenly?

Excessive licking at any part of the body is a common problem many dog owners will come across. It can be normal, or it can be a sign of pain, infection, nausea or stress. This sounds like a long list, and YuMOVE will go into lots of detail further below to allow you to feel fully prepared to help your dog who is licking excessively. However, if the licking is sudden, or causing sores, you need to speak to your vet for help.

Key takeaways

Signs your dog is licking excessively can be related to skin conditions such as allergies or gastrointestinal upsets.
Hair loss, inflammation, sores and skin swelling are commonly seen in dogs who lick their skin excessively.
Treatment is usually supportive: medications, supplements and diet changes.
Being aware of and noticing the signs of excessive licking can reduce the amount of time your dog is struggling with excessive licking, and help your veterinarian work out what the best treatment options are.

What counts as excessive licking?

Excessive licking is frequently related to skin conditions, but can be gastrointestinal related.

To be considered excessive, it needs to be continual. If you tell your dog to stop will they? They should! Areas of the body that tend to be affected include feet, legs and belly. If your dog is licking to the point where they are losing hair, or turning pink or red, it's considered excessive.

10 common reasons dogs lick excessively

1. Behavioural reasons

Stress or anxiety can result in lip licking or licking at paws and joints as a self soothing mechanism. If you think your dog is stressed, try changes at home first and if it's not improving within 1-2 weeks, visit a vet.

2. Boredom

Dogs are smart, and need to use their brains. If your dog is bored they can turn to destructive behaviour such as excessive licking. Home changes such as enrolling in classes or extra walks and puzzle feeders at home may help, if not talk to your veterinarian.

3. Skin allergies

Allergic skin disease, infections, or parasites can lead to excessive licking. If you notice hair loss crusting or discharge, try to reduce licking behaviours and book a vet appointment.

4. Anal gland discomfort

Anal glands can become full, impacted or infected. Licking around the bottom or scooting the bum across the floor are classic signs of anal gland issues. A veterinarian will express anal glands and treat infections.

5. Pain

Sore joints can be why your dog is licking its paws excessively. They may focus on a particular joint. Osteoarthritis is a common underlying reason and a vet can advise on home changes such as diet and supplements in combination with medications to treat their pain.

6. Something is stuck/irritating

Some causes of excessive licking can be really simple! Your dog may have a small bit of twig or grass seed stuck in between their toes. By removing the object, you solve the problem. If you're not confident, your vet can help.

7. Ingrown nails

Nails can grow quickly and curl around into the pad, leading to pain and infection. This is a fairly straightforward cause of excessive licking to treat, simply trim the nails and antibiotics if needed for any infection present. Keeping nails short will help prevent this problem in future.

8. Dental disease

Dental disease can go unnoticed, as most dogs don't show outward signs of dental pain, read our blog on the silent signs of dental discomfort in dogs. Hypersalivation as a result of inflammation and infection in the mouth will cause your dog to lick their lips excessively. Book a vet appointment to see what the best treatment options for your dog's dental pain will be.

9. Parasites

Fleas, mites, ticks and lice cause excessive licking. You will need to use prescription strength antiparasiticides from your veterinarian to resolve this issue, but it is fairly straightforward cause of excessive licking to treat.

10. Nausea

Nausea leads to your dog excessively lip licking. It's usually sudden in onset. Nausea can be related to gastrointestinal issues such as pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, kidney or liver disease. If the lip licking does not go away within two days, a vet appointment is the best course of action.

When to speak to a vet?

When your dog is licking excessively at their skin, the trauma damages the skin barrier. If you cannot get your dog to stop licking at their skin, or notice changes in their behaviour, you need vet assistance.

When excessive licking goes unnoticed or untreated, we see signs such as:

Red or bleeding skin
Hair loss
Scabs or sores
Discharge -yellow, grey green or red

Any of these signs in combination with excessive licking need vet care to treat.

Some causes of licking- such as lip licking are not related to skin problems, and can be a sign of nausea. Signs of gastrointestinal disease include:

Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Lethargy
Weight loss
Lack of appetite
Any signs of pain such as whimpering

Gastrointestinal illness still often requires vet care to treat, so it's important to follow up with your veterinarian, but mention the additional signs, not just the lip licking.

What you can do at home right now

If your dog is constantly licking, there are a few things you can do at home whilst waiting for your vet appointment.

The first thing would be to check where your dog is constantly licking, for example their paws, it's a good idea to check this area. You may find that there is something you can remove such as a grass seed, mat of fur or dried mud. This is an easy win and can save you a vet visit.

Your vet will need details on your dog's itching- when it started, how long it's been going on for, what parts of the body are involved etc. Sit and write down all this important information to take to your vet visit.

When your dog is licking excessively, it can lead to inflammation, infection and pain. Trying to prevent this damage can reduce these risks. Using an Elizabethan Collar for example, can stop your dog licking at their bottom. Being present as much as possible can help distract them from their itchy skin, or you can lean into activities such as walks, toys - particularly puzzle feeders or licki-mats can be helpful at distracting your dog from licking all the time.

Reducing stress can help your dog feel more settled and less likely to revert to self soothing through licking. Giving your dog a safe space of their own, such as their own bed and toys tucked away from high traffic areas can reduce your dog's stress levels.

Takeaway

The answer to the question: why is my dog licking excessively? will depend on the underlying cause, and a vet is needed to help identify and treat the issue.

Whilst there are some things you can do at home, such as using an Elizabethan collar to prevent further damage, home care alone will often not fix the issue. By paying close attention to the onset of licking, location and any other symptoms we can narrow down the cause, and provide relief quicker.

If you're interested in learning more about why your dog licks, you may enjoy reading about why your dog licks your face.

Dr Corinne Wigfall - BVMBVS(Hons) BVMedSci(Hons) MRCVS

After graduating from the University of Nottingham, Corinne worked in New Zealand for a time before recently returning home. She now works in general practice in South Wales, where she lives with her partner and young daughter. Corinne has experience in small animal medicine and surgery, and enjoys emergency care.