Have you ever come home completely exhausted and couldn’t wait to crash on the couch? Then, just as you are about to drift off to sleep, you hear a noise. It is a very familiar sound that simply won’t stop. You wonder what exactly is making this annoying noise. Then, you realize that it’s your cat or dog, busy grooming themselves! While you would normally ignore this sound, it is too hard to ignore at this point. You tolerate it for a while but then it gets to the point that you get annoyed. You call out with a stern voice expecting it to stop. However, chances are it's not going to be effective because your animal companion appears to be involved in a bad habit that is obsessive and compulsive. Could this be a medical condition? Little do we realize the animal is trying to communicate with us as he or she continues to lick the fur excessively. Without the awareness that licking is a form of communication, most of us have no idea and assume it is some kind of topical issue. As we scour their bodies trying to find some invisible culprit, we often give up and take our companions to the vet. Popular solutions, can include a shot containing a steroid or perhaps a round of antibiotics. This doesn’t work. A few days to a week later, you find that your pet is compulsively “licking” again. Frustrated, we repeat this cycle until we either run out of money or the animal develops a serious condition as the result of all of the medication administered which now takes precedence over the licking. Is it natural for animals to compulsively lick themselves? Is there any explanation for this behavior? Is there anything that works permanently to stop the licking? If so, what is it and how do you find it? Is licking an indication of deeper emotional issues?

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host June Stoyer talks to animal and wildlife advocate, Laura Lassiter about what you need to know.Stay tuned!