TL;DR: Compulsive grooming of objects is often a sign of underlying gastrointestinal issues or anxiety rather than just a habit. While usually not an emergency, you should record a video of the behavior and schedule a veterinary exam to identify the cause.
What is compulsive grooming of objects in dogs?
Compulsive grooming of objects, sometimes referred to as 'excessive licking of surfaces' (ELS), is a behavior where a dog repetitively licks non-food items like furniture, carpets, walls, or even the floor. While it may look like a simple habit, it is often a sign of underlying gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, or anxiety rather than just a behavioral quirk.
Is my dog's compulsive licking of surfaces a veterinary emergency?
- Urgency Level: Low. This behavior is rarely a life-threatening emergency on its own, though it indicates your pet is in some form of distress.
- Recommended Action: Schedule a non-emergency appointment with your veterinarian to rule out medical issues.
- Immediate Concerns: Contact a clinic more promptly if the behavior is accompanied by productive vomiting, a swollen abdomen, or a total loss of appetite.
How can a video of my dog help the veterinarian with a diagnosis?
- Accurate Diagnosis: Providing a video is extremely helpful because dogs often stop the behavior the moment they enter a clinical setting.
- Behavioral Observation: A video allows the vet to observe the intensity, duration, and body language of your dog during the episode.
- Distinguishing Causes: This helps the veterinarian distinguish between a neurological compulsion, a response to nausea, or a stress-related displacement behavior.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
In dogs, compulsive disorders can manifest as excessive grooming of objects, representing ingestive behaviors like licking, sucking, or chewing non-nutritive substances. A diagnosis of compulsive disorder should be considered when these behaviors occur out of context, with excessive frequency or duration, and a lack of control over onset or termination. Medical problems, such as adverse food reactions, atopic dermatitis, parasitic hypersensitivity, neuropathic pain, or other causes of pruritus, must be excluded first as potential underlying causes of self-mutilation, excessive grooming, and self-directed aggression. Diagnostic tests, like dermatologic tests (skin scraping, trichogram, fungal culture, biopsy), endoscopy, food trials, or steroid trials, along with therapeutic response trials, may be necessary to rule out medical differentials. Signalment and age of onset are also important, considering breed predispositions for specific compulsive behaviors.
Chapter: Behavioral Medicine, Dermatology, Neurology
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 1574)