Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Salt lick for dogs?

Species: Dog
Breed: pit bull mix
Age: 1-2 years
My dog is constantly licking things (windows, sprinkler heads, feet, floors, ect) Would it be safe for her to have a salt lick? She just seems to be missing something, and I want to make sure that the extra salt from the lick won't hurt her.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

No, a salt lick would be a bad idea! Excessive salt in a dog's diet is not healthy at all. It can affect the kidneys and heart quite seriously.

It would be great to have a vet do some basic blood tests on your dog. Some dogs will lick obsessively if they are anemic (low on red cells).

If all is normal with the blood tests you could talk to your vet about setting up a behavioral modification program to teach Kina not to lick things. It's possible some medicine like Reconcile or Prozac may help in the training process.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Dog shedding like crazy. my dog is shedding like crazy year round what should i do? ... (11103 views)

Kitten died. Hello I work at the humane society. We recently adopted out a 13 week old long... (8171 views)

Bald spots on bulldog's legs. We purchased a baby bulldog about a month ago. We already had a bulldog, Mina, and... (25387 views)

Cat is urinating on my bed. Hi Dr Marie, You may not remember me - I'm from Australia, my partner and I email... (8295 views)

Cat howling at night. Our 25 yo orange tiger stripe male developed kidney failure and we had to make the... (8949 views)

Puppy ate Imodium We think our 11-week-old puppy ate an Imodium. He weighs 6.5 pounds. Do we need to... (22848 views)

Cat died suddenly. 10-11-2010 Dear Dr Marie, almost exactly similar to the post:... (23830 views)

Blind, deaf and no sense of smell. Jack was diagnosed as hyperthyroid in February and has been on methimazole since... (7035 views)

Peeing in house. I have a 10 year old female cat that has never consistently used the litter box in... (5627 views)

Dog not eating i have a boxer labrador mix .his name is angus.because summer has started and the... (24193 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.