At lunchtime one of my dogs scraped up the quilt in his bed and was desperately licking the base (canvas).  Then he started swallowing hard and rapidly and licking his lips.  A few minutes after he was sick and carried on with the swallowing and bed licking, then sick again.  In between crying and whimpering.

I took him to the vets straightaway as I immediately thought poisoning or obstruction.  The vet said doubted poisoning as he was not salivating, an obstruction was certainly possible, but she couldn't feel anything.  His temperature was normal.

She gave him two injections, one to settle the stomach and one to stop the sickness, no food tonight (god help me if he is hungry ), and watch for any straining or diarrhoea.

Can anyone throw any light on the obsessive bed licking, I have never experienced this before.

Sandra

My GUESS would be that it was a way to try to feel better -a bit like eating grass to be sick.

My oldest dog always licks the tiles/carpet if he is feeling sick :) It's always a sign to throw him out into the garden where he usually eats some grass :D

Daisy

Hi Sandrah what breed of dog is he? did your vet check for bloat.  I hope he's okay.

Warm regards Susan

Hi Susan

He is a Dalmatian, don't think it can be bloat as he hasn't eaten anything today.........other then what he might have scavenged out on our walk this morning.

I have never heard of licking before being sick, but it does make sense.  He has been sick before, but never done this.

one of ours ran around screaming the first time he was going to be sick and frightened the life out of us! he just got himself in a panic. after throwing up he ran off and started playing again, little horror!

dogs throw up for a number of reasons including being hungry. if one of ours is late being fed he will throw up. if we are away at a rally or somewhere we know they are going to be fed a little later then he gets a couple of biscuits to stop him being sick. scavenging is another great one for them chucking up!

he maybe just panicked a bit and licking was a comfort. you may never know and he may never do it again. the main thing is he is ok.

bloat is an awful thing. our gsd has bloated twice, luckily never having a torsion. its so scary as their stomach swells so much.

Hi Sandra

Mine sometimes do the excessive licking before being sick.  Not always but sometimes if they have eaten something which they shouldnt have done and then realised it tastes revolting and try and get rid of it.
Karen

Licking - more specifically "air licking" (i.e. not physically licking anything) is a classic sign of nausea preceding sickness (more obvious in dogs who have been poorly for some reason and vomitting regularly).

Regards, Teri 

Thanks everyone.   He seems back to normal today, he has kept some fish down and done a poo, so it couldn't have been anything too serious.

Sometimes they just like to give us a scare ;)

Sandra

Good news - glad to hear it :D
As to them just liking to give us a scare - I think the little darlings have a patent out on it :D

regards, Teri