Is your dog licking and over grooming? It may be a behavioral issue, or it may actually be a sign that something is upsetting his or her digestive track. This is definitely something you want to get checked out by your vet, so you can address it accordingly. It can be anything from parasites to an upset in the GI tract.
“They found that 14 of the 19 dogs had some kind of gastrointestinal condition, including “eosinophilic and/or lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of the GI tract, delayed gastric emptying, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pancreatitis, gastric foreign body, and giardiasis.”
Once these issues were treated the licking subsided substantially. Check with your vet about adding a good probiotic to their diet as this supports good gut bacteria which in turn helps calm the mind.
There are good acupressure points to support the digestive system, and many of these points will also help to calm the mind and alleviate obsessive licking and worry . So either way they are good points for your pooch….
To learn more read the article below and the abstract.
http://www.journalvetbehavior.com/article/S1558-7878(11)00122-5/abstract