Acral Lick Granuloma Dog Treatment

What is a lick granuloma.

Acral lick granuloma dog treatment. Cause of acral lick granuloma in dogs. The laser instrument ablates removes the tissue by vaporizing the surface layers. When a dog persistently licks its skin it results in inflammation. When the wound is disturbed the outer layers of epidermis are scraped away.

Acral lick dermatitis or lick granuloma is a skin condition occasionally seen in dogs. However there is a definite strong psychological component e g fear anxiety or obsessive compulsive disorder. What is acral lick dermatitis. Lick granulomas are caused by your dog excessively licking a wound over the course of weeks or months.

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. 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. With time the skin thickens and due to the continuous licking the area cannot heal.

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. This condition is thought to be both physical and psychological in nature. 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.

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