Acral Lick Granuloma: A Dermatology Nightmare
Everyone who has had a dog with a Lick Granuloma will tell the same story. The lesion started as a tiny spot on the skin and the dog kept licking at it. Applying medications didn’t seem to help much and the darn thing kept spreading outward while thickening. It often would be wet and oozing from the dog licking and chewing incessantly at it. Finally, a trip to the vet would reveal a name for this thickened, scarred and irritated skin. Thus, Acral Lick Granuloma.
The problem is that veterinarians cannot give the owner a specific recipe for the cure.
The skin is so deeply affected that even down to the base layer of the skin there can be found under the microscope little pockets of bacteria, broken hair follicles, plugged and scarred oil glands and dilated and inflamed capillaries. And if these skin lesions are removed surgically, the dog simply licks at the sutures or incision line after the surgery heals, thus creating a brand new granuloma right where the original one was.
Causes:
Many dermatologists thick that boredom is a major underlying factor in some cases. The dog’s licking activity helps pass the time.
Some believe that allergic inhalant dermatitis creates a stress in the skin resulting in inflammation and itching which triggers the dog’s propensity to lick at any convenient area.
A foreign body such as a thistle spine, splinter or bee sting might start up a reaction in the skin which leads to drawing the dog’s attention to the spot.
Bone or Joint pain can draw the dog’s attention to the wrist or ankle area and in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort the dog licks over the top of the joint.
Psychological stimuli such as separation anxiety, a new pet or child in the home, or neighbor dogs invading the dog’s territory can create psychological stress. Self stimulation such as picking out an area to concentrate on and licking for extended periods of time are a way for the dog to relieve the “stress”.
Hypothyroidism has played a role in some cases of Acral Lick Granuloma, especially in Black Labs.
This is for educational purposes only.
Next week, seeing what treatments are available
Until next time,
Maralyn