Why is my dog licking rust? Is it harmful or an iron deficiency?

This behaviour could indeed be caused by mineral deficiency, as it's not likely to be because of the food in her case it could be either because of kidney failure or intestinal disease. You should take her to the vet in order to have a blood test done ASAP.

This rusty stain can be due to excessively licking and excess salivation. This excessive licking can be a sign of itchiness, and you have said Misty is itchy. This could be due to allergies, licking the paws a lot is a typical sign of allergies. I would have her seen by a vet first thing the morning. The vet can diagnose what is causing her symptoms and can prescribe medication to treat it. I hope this helps!

Hello. Licking unusual surfaces could be an indication of some deficiency in Pavi's diet, or could be an indication of some gastrointestinal upset, like parasites. Make sure you are feeding her the best quality food you can afford & have her stool examined by your veterinarian for parasites. If the licking persists, you may need a more thorough workup to see what the underlying cause of this behavior is. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. This may be an indication that Rusty has allergies. Sometimes all the symptoms you see are licking the paws. He may also have some nail bed disease, or he just may be a fastidious groomer. If he is not causing any sores on his feet, or loss of hair, or you are not particularly bothered by the behavior ( he does not keep you up at night licking his feet ), then a couple of minutes of grooming the feet just may be his own particular trait. If it does become excessive, see your vet who will determine if any treatment is necessary. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Not necessarily. In reality, this is not unusual in dogs. I would be concerned though if he is causing himself any skin lesions or wounds from the licking which in that case it could be from allergies and should be addressed. Otherwise, he is likely going to be just fine. Good luck and have a great day!

This could indeed be a health issue. It has been observed that many dogs which excessively lick objects or even eat strange things are suffering from gastrointestinal problems. On the other hand this could also be just a nervous tick. I suggest you take Pepper to your vet for an exam. Your vet may want to do blood tests and an x ray to get to the bottom of the excessive licking. If Pepper is suffering from gastrointestinal problem, medications will usually alleviate the problem.

Hi there! I'm so sorry to hear about Mud Bud's troubles. Sometimes older dogs can actually acquire dementia over time. This could be the cause of Mud Bud licking everything. There is also a condition called, Pica, where animals will ingest odd things, due to vitamin or mineral deficiencies. I always recommend evaluating yearly lab work in elderly animals (7+ years old) to insure that they don't have any health issues that may cause this. I also think that sometimes if dogs lose vision at all to any degree, which can happen in older dogs, they may start to lick things more often for sensory purposes. I think it is best to have Mud Bud evaluated by his veterinarian. They can get some samples for lab work and give him a full physical exam, and make sure that he doesn't have any pressing health issues. From there, they can make recommendations for his behavior. I hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck!