Is your French bulldog licking his lips excessively? If yes, then you need to know he is not doing it because his lips are dry or sunburned. Dogs usually show certain behavior when there’s an unusual problem going on in their bodies. Besides excessive lip licking, most dogs will also start to drool and lick other body parts as well.

What could be the reason for my French bulldog’s licking behavior?

When a dog is feeling threatened, anxious, or nervous it’ll often lick its lips. This is because it’s an appeasement gesture to try and make things feel more comfortable for them. If your Frenchie licks not only his lips but also paws, then he probably feels anxious.

French bulldog anxiety

Anxiety in French bulldogs is quite common since these dogs belong to companion breeds. They simply hate staying home alone and being separated from their owners is a sort of nightmare for them. This stress response reaction can progress into a severe stage if left untreated. A severe stage of anxiety in French bulldogs is difficult to treat, requires taking certain medication, and a lot of time to be cured.

Here is the list of potentially stressful situations for your Frenchie:

• Fireworks
• Thunderstorm
• Sudden noise
• Spending time alone at home
• Vet visit
• Changes in environment, relocation

Dental issues, stuck objects, and harmful plants

Dental issues in your Frenchie could be another reason for his excessive lip-licking behavior. A dog who deals with painful gums will start to lick its lips to ease the pain. Even though this won’t help a lot, it’s important to check your French bulldog’s teeth to see what’s wrong. For example, your pet has maybe chewed a branch when you went for a walk, and now there’s a piece of wood stuck in his mouth.

Tooth decay, gingivitis, and swollen salivary glands could also be some of the reasons.

Foxtail grass is one of the most dangerous plants for dogs. Due to its spikes on the top, it can stuck in the French bulldog’s ears, nose, tongue, and paws. Not only it can cause severe pains, but it can also travel to the dog’s lungs. Therefore, be careful when allowing your dog to sniff the grass.

Contact with poisonous plants

Dogs love to sniff and lick everything that releases a strong scent or looks unusual. Since sometimes we can’t follow their every paw step, troubles can happen. French bulldogs can lick their mouth excessively when comes in contact with some of the following plants:

• English ivy (leaves and berries)
• Oleander
• Mistletoe
• Yew
• Jimsonweed
• Castor bean
• Cyclamen
• Dumbcane
• Toxic mushrooms

Some of these plants can be seen in your local park, neighbor’s garden, or some other area in your vicinity. So, you have to be very careful when allowing your pooch to sniff the environment. These are things to do if you think your Frenchie may be poisoned.

Nausea in French bulldogs

Nausea is one of the most common health conditions that has happened to almost every dog at least once in a lifetime. Besides excessive lip licking in your Frenchie, you may also notice an urge to vomit. Dogs can feel nauseous due to many reasons, and one of the most common is eating something toxic or hard to digest.

Seizures in French bulldog

One of the symptoms that precede a seizure is lip licking. A Frenchie will first start to excessively lick his lips, seem nervous, and seek the owner. This phase is also known as pre-ictal, and it can last from a few seconds to even hours before the seizure occurs. If you’re suspecting that your Frenchie might have symptoms of a seizure, these are the things to know. There could be several reasons for a dog’s epilepsy and some of them are:

• Genetics
• Liver disease
• Poisoning
• Heatstroke
• Calcium deficiency
• Low blood sugar level
• Anemia

Dehydration

As an owner of a French bulldog, you have to know that these little gremlins are prone to dehydration, especially during the summer season. French bulldogs in hot weather can get a heat stroke due to their inability to regulate body temperature. Therefore, you have to make sure your dog has the approach to freshwater throughout the day. Excessive lip licking in Frenchies may occur as a reaction to lost fluids and feeling lethargic.

How to help a Frenchie who is constantly licking his lips?

The most important thing to do is to discover the trigger for such unusual behavior. Your vet should perform a complete health check to see what is wrong with your dog. Besides checking the dog’s gums, belly, and teeth, your vet might require a blood or urine test as well.

In case your French bulldog suffers from anxiety, then you can give him emotional support and show him affection. Note that our dogs are social beings, so they feel and show emotions just like we do.