Excessive Behaviour

[Violet Turner]

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Excessive Drinking

Excessive drinking, or polydipsia, is defined as a fluid intake of more than 100 ml/kg/day.

If a dog drinks ‘too much’ or more than normal, this can be a sign of disorders such as kidney deficiency, Cushing’s disease, diabetes, cortisol deficiency or infection. Kidney failure is one of the most serious health threats that you should worry about if your dog starts drinking abnormal amounts of water. Some dogs drink too much water too quickly and regurgitate it all back up.

It may also indicate a problem if your dog barely drinks at all.

The average daily water intake for healthy dogs is around 90ml/kg/day or half an ounce to one ounce of water for every pound of body weight. Take your dog to the vet if he/she starts having abnormal drinking behaviour. The most common health problems associated with polydipsia include Cushing’s disease, kidney failure, and diabetes.

Cushing’s disease is the production of excess hormones from the adrenal glands. It occurs most in older dogs. This can be treated by a prescription diet given by the vet.

(Sources: Is Your Dog Drinking A Lot Of Water - A Guide To Polydipsia In Dogs,
Excessive Thirst in Dogs)

 

[Violet Turner]

Excessive Drooling

Almost all dogs drool, particularly when excited and even more so when anticipating food. Drool lubricates the mouth, begins the process of breaking down food for digestion, and can also help to prevent gum disease. Excessive drooling, however, can indicate a serious condition. Excessive, or hyper, salivation results when the salivary glands produce more saliva than the dog can swallow. This is known as ptyalism, and the excess moisture can cause irritation around the dog’s mouth and lips. Go to the vet if you notice any of the following symptoms: drooling with no obvious cause, changes in behaviour, drool that has a white foamy consistency, refusing to eat, or inflammation on the mouth or lips.

There are two categories of excessive drooling: hypersaliosis, where the salivary glands are producing an abnormal amount of saliva, and psudoptylism, where the dog isn’t able to swallow the saliva he produces.

Possible Causes

Irritation from a foreign object such as a stick or toy, injuries in the mouth, over-excitement or anxiety, motion sickness, difficulty swallowing, allergic reactions, poisoning, diseases, tumours, hepatic encephalopathy.

The main concern outside the UK, in a dog that hasn’t been inoculated, is rabies.

Treatment

Cleanse the dog’s mouth with an antiseptic solution and keep the skin dry until you can be seen by a vet. If your dog has a foreign object in his mouth the vet can remove it and you will be given medication to help with pain. Abscessed salivary glands will also be treated via medication. Most causes of excessive salivation can be treated, and your dog will make a full recovery.

If the drool is caused by your dog’s emotions, such as stress, you will need to address this behaviourally, but in the meantime keep your dog’s hygiene up to a good standard. If you have any questions private message me.

(Sources: Ptyalism in Dogs - 47 Questions Answered | Wag!, Symptoms To Watch For In Your Dog: Excessive Drooling | Dawg Business: It's Your Dog's Health!)

 

[Violet Turner]

Excessive Licking

When a dog licks it releases pleasurable endorphins, which gives dogs a feeling of comfort and also relieves stress.

Licking can be a sign of affection – if excessive and you don’t want the dog to ‘kiss’ you then ignoring it and not giving the dog attention can decrease it.

Dogs can lick themselves out of boredom, stress or anxiety, in which case you need to give them the physical and mental stimulation they need, and address the stress or anxiety.

Licking can also be caused by allergies, such as to plants, insects, food or medication. If you think this may be the case take your dog to the vet - they will be able to give you advice and run some tests.

Dogs may also lick because they like the taste of an owner's skin.

Pay close attention to the licking of their bums, because excessive anal cleaning can indicate that the glands need to be expressed/relieved.

Dog saliva has healing properties – it contains enzymes that kill off bacteria, so when a dog licks himself, it may be to get rid of dead tissue and clean dirt from wounds.

If your dog licks you there may be a hidden message, e.g. the water bowl is empty or she is hungry. Be sure to consider the possibility that something is making her physically uncomfortable. For instance, if you notice your dog biting her paw repeatedly, she could have a thorn or sharp stone stuck in her foot pad.

Treatment

For skin allergies: Changing the dog’s food, changing the shampoo or getting salmon oil to mix in the dog’s food.

For anxiety or stress: Adaptil for dogs - it’s a plug-in and it infuses the air with calming oils.

For hormonal imbalance: Phytopet Balance - a liquid herbal supplement that contains a combination of botanical extracts to help support hormonal balance.

If a gastric foreign body is found, surgery may be required.

If a bacterial infection is found, antibacterial medications may be needed.

(Source for some of the above: Why Dogs Lick, Dogs that Lick, Ask Victoria Stilwell)

 

[Violet Turner]

Excessive Barking

Barking is a way in which a dog communicates with other dogs and humans. Some dogs bark as a way of saying ‘this is my land’ (territorial), and this barking may well be excessive. Some dogs will bark if they are startled. When a dog wants to get your attention they will bark because this is one of the ways they communicate with us humans. When dogs get excited they may want to jump up and ‘kiss’ us to show they’re friendly, and may also bark. When a dog is lonely they will bark to get another dog/person’s attention. When a dog has separation anxiety they may whine, bark and physically destroy things (toys, furniture, floor boards etc.)

How to treat excessive barking

• You can train the dog the command ‘quiet’ or ‘stop’, and train a more appropriate response depending on the cause of the barking.
  
  
• If you’re going out, tire the dog out beforehand (physically and mentally).
  
  
• If your dog has separation anxiety, you need to leave him for very short periods of time initially and increase gradually. There are some medical problems that could cause excessive barking, such as brain disorders or deafness. If you’re worried that the cause may be medical take your dog to the vet.
  
  If the barking is attention seeking, never reward it because that will reinforce it. However, a dog who is attention seeking probably needs more physical and mental stimulation at other times.
  
  
  (Sources: The Barking Dog Blues: Why Dogs Bark and What to Do About It)
  
  
  

 

[Violet Turner]

Thanks @JudyN for all your help much appreciated!