Lick granuloma in dogs
Coat care is part of a happy dog's life, that's for sure. But if your four-legged friend constantly licks their paws and the skin appears red, you should pay close attention. Lick granulomas are skin inflammations caused by excessive licking. In this article, you'll learn everything important about underlying causes, diagnosis, and treatment.
Causes of lick granulomas
A lick granuloma is not a disease in itself, but rather a symptom of an underlying problem. Excessive licking injures the skin surface and bacteria from saliva penetrate the skin layers. The result is skin inflammation, which in turn leads to →itchiness and increased licking—a real vicious cycle. Legs and paws are often affected.
The most common causes of lick granulomas include allergies, stress, and pain.
Allergy
→Allergic reactions can cause not only diarrhea or bloating, but also itchiness and skin changes to occur.
Your dog will try to get rid of the itch somehow. By scratching, biting, or excessive licking, your furry friend may temporarily relieve the itch, but this causes skin inflammation and even more itching.
Allergies to flea saliva are especially common causes of lick granulomas. With a flea saliva allergy, affected dogs react with severe symptoms such as intense itching even with a minor flea infestation. Food allergies or contact allergies can also be the cause.
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Stress
Even our beloved four-legged friends can suffer from stress. Changed daily routines, a new family member or moving house can, for example, be causes of increased stress for your dog. Some dogs start licking their paws and legs to compensate for the stress, which can lead to lick granulomas.
Pain
Pain in the joints caused by osteoarthritis can also lead our four-legged friends to lick the painful areas excessively, which can again result in inflammatory skin changes.
What does a lick granuloma look like in dogs?
The symptoms that accompany a lick granuloma always depend on the underlying condition.
The following signs are common with lick granulomas:
Itchiness and therefore increased licking, scratching, and biting
Redness of the skin with or without purulent deposits
Hair loss in the affected areas
Fever and reduced general condition with deep skin inflammation
How is a diagnosis made?
Especially with skin changes, a detailed medical history is important. So tell your vet in detail, how long the symptoms have been present and what else you've noticed.
Diagnosis includes a general clinical examination and a special examination of the skin. It is often useful to take a sterile swab sample from the affected skin areas. This allows your vet to see under the microscope whether bacteria or fungi are involved in the inflammation.
As you've already learned, there is always an underlying condition behind a lick granuloma, which causes the symptom. To find out if a flea infestation is behind the symptom of a lick granuloma, your vet will →check your dog for fleas.
If a food allergy is suspected, you will probably be advised to do an elimination diet and an allergy test . To confirm or rule out osteoarthritis pain, an X-ray may be helpful.
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What can you do about lick granuloma in dogs?
The lick granuloma itself is washed and cleaned with anti-inflammatory shampoos. Your vet will show you exactly how to care for the affected skin areas at home.
If necessary, antibiotics in tablet form may be prescribed to fight the inflammation. To relieve the itching, cortisone may be injected or given to you as tablets to take home.
The treatment of the underlying condition depends on the cause. In the case of a flea infestation, medication against fleas is used. A food allergy can be confirmed by an elimination diet and symptoms can be avoided in the future. For pain, painkillers can help, and for stress-related lick granuloma, a dog trainer can assist you.
Is there anything I can do to prevent it?
To prevent flea infestation as a cause, adequate flea prevention is essential. Get veterinary advice on which product is best for your dog. There are no specific preventive measures for the other causes.
Most importantly, make sure you recognize the symptoms and don't dismiss excessive paw licking as normal behavior.
