Why is my 15-year-old Dachshund licking everything for years?

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!

Some dogs will do this when they are nauseous so I would monitor Willie closely for any vomiting, drooling or decrease in appetite. I've also seen dogs that tend to lick objects when they have oral pain, so if you think he could be painful you may want to have your vet examine his mouth. It's also possible that this is simply an unusual behavior he has developed and if he otherwise seems perfectly normal I think it's probably also okay to ignore it.

In a dachshund the most common reason I would say for this type of behavior is a back problem - he may have a pulled muscle that is hurting him when he turns a certain way. I suggest you have to your vet for an exam. This can be a serious issue in long-backed dogs. Even though it could just be a soft tissue injury (like the pulled muscle) it could even be a worse problem like a problem with one of the discs in between the vertebra or one of the nerves pinched coming off of the spine.

It's hard to explain why your dog would be doing this, it is likely a compulsive behavior and is not harmful to her. I would recommend watching her closely to ensure she doesn't accidentally ingest anything dangerous when she is doing this behavior. Otherwise I wouldn't be too concerned.

Lip licking can sometimes indicate nausea or GI upset, as well as mouth or dental issues. If she's also gaining weight or seems exercise intolerant, there could be an underlying illness or health issue causing it. A complete exam from your vet including possible blood work or an X-ray is best.

Licking excessively can be caused by itching or pain. If this is a new behavior, I would recommend that you have Cassie examined by a vet to see what could be going on. Hairballs aren't common in dogs, but are possible for long-haired dachshunds. The best preventative for this type of issue is keeping the hair brushed and free of loose hairs or clipping it shorter.

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.