Acral Lick Granuloma Dog Treatment

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

Acral lick granuloma dog treatment.

With time the skin thickens and due to the continuous licking the area cannot heal. Anti anxiety medications are sometimes used if the cause of the lick granuloma is suspected to be nervousness or stress. The name for this condition stems from its location acral meaning on the extremities and from its cause licking. However there is a definite strong psychological component e g fear anxiety or obsessive compulsive disorder.

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. Acral lick dermatitis or lick granuloma is a skin condition occasionally seen in dogs.

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. Cause of acral lick granuloma in dogs. 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. What is a lick granuloma.

The use of laser surgical instrumentation is fast becoming a useful tool to assist in treatment of lick granulomas in dogs. They are continually removed and unable to heal leading to substantial inflammation. What is acral lick dermatitis. Lick granulomas are caused by your dog excessively licking a wound over the course of weeks or months.

Affected dogs usually lick at one chosen spot on one leg.