Acral Lick Granuloma Dog Treatment

What is a lick granuloma.

Acral lick granuloma dog treatment.

Lick granulomas are caused by your dog excessively licking a wound over the course of weeks or months. Also known as acral lick dermatitis this problem occurs when a dog obsessively licks at an area on the lower limb most commonly the wrist or carpal joint of the front limb. However there is a definite strong psychological component e g fear anxiety or obsessive compulsive disorder. Acral lick dermatitis or lick granuloma is a skin condition occasionally seen in dogs.

This condition is thought to be both physical and psychological in nature. The use of laser surgical instrumentation is fast becoming a useful tool to assist in treatment of lick granulomas in dogs. Cause of acral lick granuloma in dogs. Affected dogs usually lick at one chosen spot on one leg.

When the wound is disturbed the outer layers of epidermis are scraped away. What is acral lick dermatitis. Oral medications except for oral antibiotics and trental these medications are all treatments for the possible root causes of the obsessive licking behavior that causes lick granuloma. When a dog persistently licks its skin it results in inflammation.

They are continually removed and unable to heal leading to substantial inflammation. Hypothyroidism has played a role in some cases of acral lick granuloma especially in black labs. The laser instrument ablates removes the tissue by vaporizing the surface layers. Clomipramine or clomicalm is a medication used for separation anxiety in dogs.

Lick granuloma which is also known as canine acral lick dermatitis acl is a skin injury resulting from excessive licking.