My Dog Rub His Face on the Carpet After Eating?
Dog Rub His Face on the Carpet After Eating? It really is very confusing when you notice your pet rubbing his head on the floor right after eating anything. You will definitely find it very annoying because of all the food remnants that your dog has left around. Is there a need to clean your pet or are you afraid of him?
As both a vet and a dog owner myself, I will share with you why this happens and whether there should be concern. Here we will go through the most frequent causes for your dog’s rubbing his head against the floor.
Dog Rub His Face on the Carpet After Eating?
The Simple Reasons: “Canine Napkin” and Pure Contentment
First, the good news: in many cases, this is totally harmless.
- Your Dog Is Just Wiping His Face: Imagine your dog’s face after eating food, kibble crumbs, wet food or some drool. Your dog doesn’t have any hands or even a napkin, but what he does is the next best thing. With the help of the carpet, he will remove any food remains that are attached to the whiskers, muzzle or gums of your pet . So, if your dog likes to wipe his face after meals, then it is just him cleaning himself up.
- He’s Just Being Happy: When it comes to wiping his face against the ground or carpets, rolling or even moving around on the carpet, it could just be another way for your dog to show that he is happy.
Medical Reasons: When “Just Cleaning” Could Be a Symptom
When such rubbing is frequent, done after each and every meal or combined with other symptoms, then it might indicate some problem.
- Dental Problem: This disease causes pain and discomfort in the tooth or abscess that leads to pain in your dog while eating. Your dog will scratch his face on the floor to relieve the pain or discomfort that he is feeling inside his mouth. Some of the other symptoms include bad smell coming from the mouth, drooling, and difficulty eating.
- Foreign Objects in the Mouth: Sometimes, the food gets stuck between the teeth or in the gums of the dog. As dogs do not have toothpicks, they will rub their face in order to dislodge the food from the mouth.
- Allergic Reactions: Allergies either from food or environment can cause itching and irritation especially in face, ears and paws. In the case where your dog keeps rubbing its face on the ground due to the itching sensation that it experiences, then you would be aware that there are some other allergic reactions as well.
- Problems with the Skin (for dog breeds having folds): The three breeds that make up this list are Pugs, Bulldogs, and Boxers, who have what is called a skin fold dermatitis. There are instances where moisture and bacteria build up on their facial folds, causing irritation. Scratching or rubbing is just the dog’s way of trying to clean himself and soothe himself from the irritation.
- Eye or Ear Irritation: If there is irritation on your dog’s eyes or ears, you will notice him rubbing his face on the floor to ease himself from the discomfort he feels.
When Is It a Medical Emergency?
There are some rare neurological disorders that may lead to too much face rubbing in dogs. Chiari-like Malformation and Syringomyelia are conditions which cause severe discomfort and sensation problems, making the dog excessively rub its face, scratch its head and be overly sensitive about its neck.
The disease affects mainly Cavaliers and Griffons, although it may affect any other breeds.
- Take your dog to the vet if they are:
- Rubbing their face constantly and uncontrollably
- Whimpering or showing signs of pain
- Injuring their own face
What Should You Do?
- Note When It Occurs and How Often: Is there any other signs that he is uncomfortable such as pawing his mouth or head shaking? Petcube or other type of camera would be useful in observing the dog.
- Exclude the Easy Causes First: In case your doggy only needs to tidy himself up, then clean his face using warm and moistened wipes after each meal. In case he is a messy eater, consider using a slow feeder bowl to minimize the mess .
- Check Out His Face and Mouth: Look for any signs of swelling, redness, bad odor, as well as visible presence of food stuck in between his teeth. Clean out facial wrinkles in wrinkled breeds using pet wipes.
- Such Behavior Cannot Be Overlooked: Especially if It Has Just Developed Recently and Often Occurs with Lethargy, Appetite Changes, Redness, Etc.; Take Your Dog to the Vet for a Check-up.
Also Check: How to Stimulate a Sick Cats Appetite to Eat?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why does my dog rub his face on the carpet just after eating the wet food?
My dog consumes the wet food and the quantity of food that remains in his mouth is much more compared to dry kibble and thus he has to get rid of all the food in his mouth.
Is it okay for my dog to rub his face on the carpet after each meal?
While this act may be regarded as normal due to the process of grooming and happiness, doing this after each meal is unhealthy and might mean there are dental issues and/or allergies in the dog.
Can my dog suffer from food allergies if he rubs his face on the carpet?
Yes, food allergies cause itching in the body and in this situation the dog is experiencing the allergies in his face, paws and ears.
After my puppy has had his meal, he tends to rub his face on the floor. Is it common among all puppies?
Puppies tend to be less tidy when eating and more curious about everything. Although it is mostly “typical puppy behavior,” the same rules apply: look for any food stuck to his face, observe how often he is doing that, and see if there are any signs of discomfort .
My dog likes to rub his face against both the carpet and furniture. Why does he do that?
He is marking his territory by rubbing himself against the surface with the help of scent glands located in his face while cleaning/scratching his face .
How will I know that the rubbing is caused by dental problems and not simply due to cleaning himself?
Check out other symptoms, such as whether he is eating slowly, dropping food, bad breath, swelling in the face, etc. If your dog exhibits any of these symptoms, it means that his rubbing might be due to the dental problem .
Should I clean my dog’s face after eating?
Yes, that is an excellent idea. It would not only help in preventing him from rubbing food in the carpet but will also give you the opportunity to examine his face and mouth area for any possible problems.
What are the signs of a serious neurological condition such as Chiari-like Malformation?
It is marked by constant and compulsive face rubbing and head scratching which appears to be caused by pain and does not bring any relief. Other symptoms may include hypersensitivity in the neck area, weakness and abnormal behavior.
Is my dog’s face rubbing because of stress?
Though rarely after eating, stress may be one of the reasons of compulsive behaviors. However, it is more probable that there is some form of irritation or grooming going on. When it seems to be related to stress, look out for additional signs like panting and pacing, etc.
When should I bring my dog to a vet?
If your dog scratches its face:
Suddenly begins scratching,
Scratches too much and too frequently,
Accompanied by other signs such as inflammation, discharge, bad smell, swelling, pain, behavioral changes, and
The scratching causes loss of hair and/or injury.
