Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Holly licking everything again

Holly is due for her 2 month checkup in a few weeks and all seems to be good with her, gums are nice and pink and she is acting fine and still on 1mg of prednisone on Mondays, but for the last 2 weeks she has started licking everything again in site!!. Licks the couch, licks the sheets in bed. My husband got freaked out this morning and said I hope she isn't having a relapse. Just before she was diagnosed March 2007, she was doing this like non-stop. Just wondering if anyone else has or is experiencing this??? She still gets pet tinic every day and her milk thistle. Linda

Linda Sapphire

Maybe her tummy is bothering her. Is she doing it often or just occasionally? Darcy sometimes does this, sniffing and snorting all over the floor like a little vacuum cleaner, then she heads to the door and goes outside to eat grass. One day, she was even licking the concrete driveway and there was nothing on it. This is just an occasional thing with her. Could be meds, supplements, or food that's irritating Holly's stomach and making her react this way. A little plain yogurt might be soothing.

Karen NC

Karen,no Holly does it all the time, she lays on our leather couch and just licks it constantly, mostly the leather couch and when in our bed, licks the sheets and blanket. Even our leggs if we are sitting next to her. We just have to keep yelling at her to stop licking, she looks at us and then starts agin in a few minutes.

Linda Sapphire

Linda, This is very odd behavior indeed. I'm wondering if she is lacking something in her diet. Is she on a special diet? Maybe there is a mineral or something lacking. I only mention this because some wild animals will lick dirt, rocks, etc. to get certain minerals. How long till her next re-check? You might want to have her checked soon just to get some comfort in knowing she is not relapsing. Sue & Ren

Susie delaware

I have a dog that does not have IMHA and she does this licking, it is very annoying! We have checked all her labs, plus put her on pet tinc and she has been doing it for 8 years!

Wendi Ohio

Linda, It could be from stress and/or a obsessive/compulsive disorder. I found this link you might want to check out: http://www.vetinfo.com/dlick.html Several people seem to have experienced the same thing with their dogs and a vet on that site answers their questions. BTW, Darcy went outside after lunch today, laid down and ate grass for a while. She didn't throw up, but she seemed to need something in her belly. When she starts eating grass, she won't listen to me, it's just full speed ahead until she gets all she wants.

Karen NC

Hi Linda Phoebe licks our leather sofa too, she also licks the bedspread when we go to bed - doesn't lick the floor or any other furniture - it actually got worse before she was diagnosed with AIHA so I wonder if it is part of the disease? I will ask my vet as we are going tomorrow for a visit. If I get any clarification I will let you know. Kind regards Gill & Phoebe

gill uk

Hi all, Thanks for everyone's input happy to hear that it is not just Holly. Susie, she is on Natural Balance and has been for the last 2 1/2 years, plus she gets the pet tinic every day. Gil, yes also assumed it was in the beginning because she was lacking something in her system, obviously the onset of the anemia. Karen that site was interesting and seems there are many other dogs that also lick. I did call and make Holly's appoingment this morning for next Monday just to make sure all is good. We actually do no really know Holly's past life before we adopted her. She was around 2 when we adopted her. The 2 months leading up before she was diagnosed, she got really agressive with the licking to the point that she licked holes in our blankets on our bed at night, lots of holes. She would like the dirt outside, grass, rug, etc. etc. This is when I first started researching the internet and found that it might be a sign of anemia. Checked her gums as soon as I found this information and they were white. When she spent the week in the hospital down in Atlanta, and they did the bone marrow aspiration, while they had her under they found on x-ray something in her stomach. When in through her mouth and pulled out a clump of mixed fibers/plant like materials etc. and they said she would have never digested it. So now with the licking becomming more again, we are watching her very carefully. Mostly just does the leather couch, and the sheets on the bed and our leg if laying next to us. I will keep you all posted next week on her results. Thanks a bunch, Linda

Linda Sapphire

My Tillie licks my legs and arms every day...I actually have become used to it...after she drinks water she comes right over and licks my leg over and over and splatters the water around and it runs down my leg *sigh*...she's done this from the time she was a pup and is 7 years old now. Tillie loves to eat grass and I have seen her pull a branch down from a tree (a low tree) and strip the leaves off and eat them. She's been doing this since a pup. I gave up long ago trying to stop her. The only time I say *no* is to eating anyone else's grass. I don't use anything on my grass but don't know about other yards. Tillie must be half GOAT!

Mrs. Gates Michigan

Linda, Just a hunch here, but could you ask your vet if they would feel its appropriate to do only the part of the pancreatitis test that measures B12 and folate? Also ask if they will do a blood ferritin (iron) test. Deficiencies in these nutrients can impact the blood making process and can also lead to pica (eating inappropriate items). These tests may be fairly expensive, upwards of $80 but they would be very revealing. The treatments are very inexpensive, administering B12 and iron shots. You can learn to give these at home yourself. Humans in poor cultures of the world are known to eat dirt to obtain certain mineral nutrients they are deficient in. Animals do this too. In fact, it is most likely the reason that dogs eat grass, because the special kind they like (dog grass) has a high silica content, an essential nutrient. I know that both Chance and Cassie often lick their front legs after they eat. It's a kind of routine ritual and it follows a very specific pattern, similar to grooming. But some dogs can be so aggressive with this that they can lick the skin until it is raw. This is displaced grooming that is mutilation. I agree that in most cases, licking is a learned habit, probably has its roots in boredom and stress behaviors, but a sudden acceleration of the behavior indicates something more to me. You know your dog and what is normal and what is not. my best patrice

Patrice NYS

Patrice, Thanks much, I will ask the vet next week what he charges to run these tests. She really is not licking any dirt outside like she did right before she was diagnosed, just inside, furniture (leather & cloth) and in bed all the time. Don't ever see her licking herself. Linda

Linda Sapphire

This thread was discussed between 09/08/2009 and 14/08/2009

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