Why is my dog licking so much that a sore spot forms?

Pet-owners want to know: Why is my dog licking so much that a sore spot forms?

It’s a lot like kids who suck their thumb — once the habit starts, it’s hard to break. Here’s what you need to know about causes and treatment.

A dog’s list of annoying habits can often be endless. Obsessive itching, licking, scratching, urinating on your favorite rug, jumping up on people— endless. Similar habits, such as dog licking that is taken to self-harm levels, that results in the dog developing sores called lick granulomas.

Maybe you’ve seen this: a raised, red sore on a front leg that your dog licks at obsessively. Or perhaps you never seen your dog lick, but the sore is there all the same.

Chances are you told your dog to stop, so they learned to become secretive about licking. Well, these sores are surprisingly common.

Why your dog is constantly licking one spot

Dogs aren’t much different from us. Once the habit starts, it’s hard to break.

The reason is that the dog licking releases feel-good hormones called endorphins. The dog licks, it feels good, and the dog doesn’t want to stop licking.

You may hear your vet refer to the condition as acral lick dermatitis, or ALD, where dogs are licking their legs so much that sores developed.

Studies have shown that when nature’s own morphine-like substances — the endorphins — are involved in ALD, because affected dogs’ self-licking behavior decreased dramatically when the dogs were treated with endorphin antagonists. Since endorphins are released when stress arises, it can be confirmed that licking appears in situations where stress is involved.

Possible Health-Related Causes of the Licking

For most dogs, the habit starts with a trigger in the form of an itch, ache or infection.

It may be that the dog has arthritis or an allergy, and rather than lick the specific spot, the dog chooses a comfortable place to lick — which is often a forearm or paw.

Common triggers:

• Arthritis

• Parasitic infection that causes a general itch

• A bacterial skin infection

• Ringworm

• Skin allergies triggering an itch

More than half of dogs with acral lick dermatitis are suspected to have concurrent fear- or anxiety-based conditions or both (e.g., separation anxiety, noise phobia, anxiety-related aggression).

The Derma Dilemma

The problem is that a veterinarian cannot give the owner a specific recipe for a cure. The skin lesions will heal slightly, almost seem like they are going to heal, but then overnight (or during the day while left alone) the lick granuloma is activated by the dog licking the area raw once again.

Even worse, some dogs will simply switch to licking the other leg if you restrict their ability to lick the first leg by wrapping it in a cast, creating an even more annoying problem—now there are 2 lick granulomas!

Does Your Dog Do This? If So, Act Quickly.

If your dog starts to lick obsessively, seek the help of your veterinarian. Getting to the bottom of the cause, and early treatment, is the best way to stop the problem from becoming ingrained.

Alongside treating the lick granuloma, your vet may want to run tests to investigate any underlying problems.

Treatment of Lick Granulomas / Sore Spots in Dogs

Think of this as a 2-pronged attack: tackling both the sores and the underlying cause.

Lick granulomas are frustrating because even with successful treatment, the dog is likely to relapse. To stand any chances of long-term success, therapy must continue for at least 4 weeks after the symptoms have ceased.

Treating the sores:

• Antibiotics or antifungals

• Local anesthetic creams

• Anti-inflammatory medications (to reduce the skin tingle)

• Bandages or an Elizabethan collar (“cone of shame”)

• Mood-modifying drugs

Your vet may try one or a combination of the treatments above.

Frustratingly, putting an Elizabethan collar on doesn’t work well because as soon as it is removed, the licking starts again and the dog will activate the lesion all over again.

Addressing the underlying triggers:

• The first step is to find out what they are. This could mean blood tests, skin biopsies or radiographs.

• In the case of allergies, starting the dog on a hypoallergenic diet is a great idea, as is testing for environmental allergens.

• Regular parasite treatments against fleas and mites are crucial to keep parasitic itches at bay.

Ultimately, to find the right solution for your dog, speak with your vet.

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Osteoarthritis Rehab for Dogs

Pain is often the main hindrance to starting a rehabilitation program. If a dog responds to pain management quickly, rehabilitation can begin as soon as possible and can continue based on the dog’s abilities. A rehabilitative medicine program can dramatically increase strength and mobility, improving the overall quality of life for dogs with osteoarthritis. In many cases, improvement can be seen within days. Regular exercise should continue long term but must be carefully controlled to prevent further injury.

What Is Rehabilitative Medicine?

Traditionally, treatment for osteoarthritis (arthritis) in dogs has focused on using medications to relieve joint pain and inflammation. Many veterinarians also incorporate joint supplements, weight control, and other management tools to give arthritic dogs more help. However, medications cannot improve a dog’s strength or fitness level, which directly affects a dog’s mobility. Rehabilitative medicine, also known by the term rehab, can help meet this therapeutic need. With proper undertaking, a rehabilitative medicine program can dramatically increase strength and mobility, improving overall quality of life for dogs with osteoarthritis. Some consider rehabilitative medicine a tool that is reserved for dogs recovering from orthopedic surgery or injury. However, because the principles of rehabilitative medicine are fairly universal, this therapy can also be very useful for managing dogs with osteoarthritis.

The overall goals of rehab are to improve a dog’s comfort, joint motion, and strength. During the early stages of osteoarthritis, pain relief is a primary goal, and rehabilitative practices can help accomplish that. As osteoarthritis progresses, the body undergoes other changes including reduced joint motion, loss of muscle mass, and decreased muscle strength. A well-structured rehab program can combat these complications as well.

What techniques and equipment used in rehab?

Pain is often the main hindrance to initiating a rehabilitation program. If a dog is in pain, even passive stretching and massage are uncomfortable. In contrast, if a dog responds to pain management quickly, rehab can begin as soon as possible and can continue based on the dog’s abilities. Pain medications, joint supplements, and other products can continue as needed to keep the dog comfortable, control inflammation, and promote a continued willingness to exercise.

The techniques and equipment needed for rehabilitative therapy vary depending on the needs of the patient but can include the following:

• Stretching. Stretching exercises are an important part of any rehab program. Your veterinarian can show you how to do this properly. Moist heat can be used first to warm the muscles. Once the target muscles are warm, manual stretching can begin. In some cases, a hinged brace can be used to control range of motion for weak joints as they are flexed and extended to improve mobility.

• Controlled exercise. Depending on a patient’s abilities, ramps, controlled leash walking, and agility courses can all be used as part of a rehab program. The key is to control the exercise and range of joint motion to decrease the likelihood of injury. If building ramps and purchasing agility course equipment is not convenient, pet owners can often achieve favorable results using controlled leash walks. The goal is to provide the dog with low-impact exercise (no leaping or jumping) to build muscle strength and tone without injuring the joints.

• Underwater treadmill and swimming. Although generally only available in a clinic setting, an underwater treadmill is a very useful piece of equipment for patients undergoing rehab therapy. An underwater treadmill consists of a tank filled to a certain level with water (usually just below the dog’s hip area), with a treadmill at the bottom. Compared with walking on land, the underwater treadmill is easier on the joints and decreases the risk of injury. Compared with swimming, another popular method of rehabilitation, the motion of walking is advantageous because the action of walking is more predictable, and the patient’s speed can be easily controlled. In contrast, it is difficult to control speed for a dog that is swimming. Swimmers are also likely to flex their backs while swimming, making range of joint motion more difficult to control. Also, dogs walk with all four legs but tend to swim primarily with the front legs, so walking is a better exercise for dogs with rear limb problems.

Swimming does have benefits for dogs with osteoarthritis — it strengthens the forelimbs and develops core strength (chest and abdomen); this can be helpful for a dog that has lost overall strength because of chronic joint disease. However, the underwater treadmill is likely a better option for its ability to protect the joints, control range of joint motion, control level of exertion, and provide an overall conditioning and strengthening activity.

What are the therapeutic outcomes with rehab?

Your veterinarian may recommend and structure a rehab program for your pet or may refer you to a rehab specialist to get you started. Once a dog begins a rehabilitative medicine program, results are generally observed quickly. Pain relief can be the most rapid result. If a dog is having an arthritis flare-up, ice can be used with pain medication to provide quick relief. Improved limb use can be observed within days to weeks of initiating a program. However, progress depends on the degree of disuse that was present initially. A more chronically affected dog can be expected to take a longer time to respond. Improvements in overall strength can also be observed during the first few weeks of therapy.

Once initial improvements are made, the goal is to continue the program, modifying and increasing as necessary, to maintain the patient at a level where strength and mobility remain favorable. Ideally, regular exercise should continue long term but must be carefully controlled to prevent injury.

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