Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My dog keeps licking air. Should I worry about nausea or illness?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 8 years and 2 months old

My dog keeps licking the air, she normally does it when we are just siting down and it's all the time. should I be worried?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on November 8th, 2016

Licking the air in most cases is a sign of nausea, she might have an upset tummy or possibly some more serious gastrointestinal/systemic disease. If she loses her appetite and this symptom does not resolve- take Chiquis to the vet in order to get it checked.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on March 16th, 2017
Licking the lips is usually a sign of nausea, stomach upset. in some cases it could also be a neurological sign. if the problems continues for more than a couple days- take her to the vet to get it checked.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on July 31st, 2019
Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Roo. This could be due to a dental problem, nausea, stress, something is stuck to the roof of her mouth, or she may have a GI issue. If this keeps happening, I would have her seen by a vet. Best of luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH
Veterinarian
Published on August 24th, 2017
Hi and thanks for your question. Licking the air could be a sign of nausea or a self soothing behavior. It's unclear what it could be exactly since it just began, but I would be sure to rule out causes of nausea with your vet first.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Health & Wellness

My dog won't stop licking. Is it nausea? When should I see a vet?

Chronic licking is a common sign of nausea, as well as hypersalivation. Nausea can be caused by many conditions such as dietary indiscretion (eating things Bella shouldn't be), intestinal parasites, foreign bodies, and pancreatitis. If Bella is consistently doing this, it is worth it to rule out the conditions above. Your vet may recommend bloodwork, x-rays, and possibly an abdominal ultrasound. I hope all is well and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

My dog keeps swallowing and licking lips. Is he sick?

Swallowing a lot and licking lips is due to nausea. Bloat is very uncommon in a small breed dog like a Chihuahua so that is not likely to be the cause. I suggest you have Junior examined by your vet as nausea is a very vague symptom and not specific for any one disease process or illness.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Why is my dog licking her mouth and dry heaving after eating?

This is usually a sign of nausea, which should be ideally checked as it could be compatible with a chronic type of inflammation. Considering her age, a physical examination and possibly more investigations (like an abdominal ultrasound of her abdomen) would be ideal.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Why is my dog constantly licking his lips like he's trying to swallow?

Licking the lips can sometimes be a sign of nervousness, nausea, or even an issue with the teeth or mouth. If he hasn't had a dental cleaning recently, tartar on the teeth or gums could be causing some irritation and thus the licking behavior. Nausea such as from minor GI upset, may also cause drooling, or have signs such as vomiting or diarrhea, but this is not always the case. If it continues or you see any signs of illness/smell bad breath, etc, having your vet take a look is best. If you've changed something in his environment around the time the licking started (new pet, people, items in the house, etc) it could be that he's feeling a bit nervous or uncomfortable as well. Making sure he gets some extra attention and the cause of the nervousness is addressed (IE making sure he has someplace to go rest and hide, using a pheromone diffuser, etc) may help.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Why is my dog licking floors, chewing things, hiccuping, and vomiting?

These are general signs of stomach upset, she feels that something is not right in her gastrointestinal tract and she tries to make it better by licking the floor (usually when a dog has access to grass they will ingest grass). She is probably suffering from a gastrointestinal infection, possibly due to something bad she ate. withhold food for 12 hours then offer her boiled boneless chicken and rice every 6 hours in small portions. if she is eating and not vomiting, continue with this diet for 2 days. After 2 days, you can put her back gradually on her normal food. If she continues vomiting or is not eating, take her to the vet to get treatment.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Why is my dog licking the air and smacking his lips so much?

Buster may have small seizures or a gastro-intestinal problem. "Fly catching" and licking the air are usually caused by minor seizures. I suggest you take a little video with your cell phone and take Buster and the video to your vet for an exam. Also record the circumstances that trigger this, and how long the episodes last.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Why is my dog licking, losing hair, air licking, and having seizures?

I would actually guess that licking her arms is unrelated to the other symptoms - allergies, skin infections and hormonal diseases are a few potential causes. She might be licking her vulva if she has pain from bladder stones or urine leakage. Seizures can be a sign of a brain tumor, epilepsy or other brain disease, and the air licking could be a sign of seizure activity. I would definitely bring these concerns up when you see your new vet.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share