Why is my dog rapidly flicking his tongue in and out of his mouth?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Otis. You are correct that his behavior can signify a problem with his mouth, such as severe dental disease or a broken tooth. There could even be something stuck in his mouth. Another cause is nausea. I'd have him seen by a vet for this, and you should take him into one in the morning. I hope this helps!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sorry that Jax is having this issue. My recommendation is that you take him to a vet as soon as possible for an exam. Unfortunately his symptoms are too vague for me to pinpoint what may be the underlying cause of his illness. He could certainly have an ear infection or a foreign body inside his ear canal. He could also have a problem with the nerve(s) that run through the ear and innervate the head/mouth/tongue. He needs to have an exam in person by a vet so you can get to the bottom of his issue and so he can get the proper treatment. There is nothing I can recommend you do other than that at this stage with just the information you provided. Hope this helps to give you some direction. Best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Without seeing Crystal it is hard to say what is going on. She could be nauseous but typically dogs have a decreased appetite with that. I would also be concerned about a bad/infected tooth. I recommend taking her to a vet for a good oral exam. They may need to do further diagnostics to determine the cause. Good luck and kisses to Crystal!

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.

This could be a neurological problem you are describing, or some kind of arthritis in his jaw/temporomandibular joint area. Or, sometimes dogs when they smell a strange smell, like urine for example, will exhibit something similar to what you are describing that almost looks like a very fast teeth-chattering kind of behavior. This is normal. I do recommend a full exam by your vet to make sure that this is not a partial focal seizure or severe dental disease or jaw arthritis/jaw dislocation that is causing the behavior, as these things are much more serious and a possibility as well. Try to video tape this behavior-- we'd be happy to view this on a Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach consultation, or you can take it to your vet during the examination. Best of luck and hope that helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to something affecting the mouth such as dental disease, inflammation or even a growth causing discomfort. I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check what is going on so that therapy can be started. Best of luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like Jack is having a rough go of things lately. There are a plethora of causes for cough and vomiting/regurgitation which is what it sounds like he has. Chest x-rays are the first diagnostic needed to assess the lungs for disease, so I would recommend having some taken. If they were taken initially, retaking them would be a good idea. With the vomiting, abdominal x-rays could be helpful as well. This is a case where a consultation would be helpful as I could ask more pointed questions and perhaps guide you with a better list of likely causes to the issue. I hope this helps, and I'm sorry I can't narrow it down further without more information. I hope Jack is doing okay and things turn around for the better soon!