lick atrophy

[andbab]

Has anyone ever had a dog with lick atrophy? My black lab has it or does it and it is so gross. Basically she licks and lick her legs until she has a sore and then she keeps licking and licking. I've covered the sore, put bitter apple on her around the sore but she still licks and licks. This time she has given her self a really nasty sore. I don't know what to do with her .

 

[enola]

excessive licking is caused by some sort of stress

 

[PotterWatch]

I had cats (from the same litter) that used to do that. They had some sort of condition that made them feel really itchy or something. We had to take them in for cortisone shots every once in a while and it really helped them.

 

[Katy]

My husky mix does that. She doesn't do it as much now that's she's a little older and it's worse in the summer than in the winter. If I give her some Benydryl when she starts doing it it helps to stop her. She hasn't made a sore for a couple of years now.

 

[byrandom]

I have a Chihuahua that licks all the time because she has allergies. Whenever I worked at a Vet clinic we saw this all the time. It was primarily due to some sort of skin irritation or anxiety.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I was going to ask if your dog has allergies. That's a common reason for dogs that lick like that. They often also have the sores called hot spots.

The allergy can be to an ingredient in their food, something they get as a snack or something in the environment. Pollen, dust mites, fleas and who knows what else.

 

[andehens]

allergies, benedryl might help.

 

[andbab]

huh the vet never mentioned allergies. Just said that if she didn't stop would have to give her pregnazone. (sp) She doesn't constantly do this just every once in a while she will do it for like a month and then stop for a few months. I think it is a boredom thing. The weather is too cold to go out and play right now and my house is too small to play fetch.

 

[mekasmom]

Ask your vet about using benedryl by mouth. Excessive licking, especially on the feet, is allergies.

Prednisone is a cortico steroid. That is what is used to treat severe allergies. Benedryl would be an antihistamine. It is weaker and has fewer side effects.

 

[snewman]

If your vet did give prednisone, that would be a treatment for the itchiness. It is very often prescribed for allergies. It's a steroid and a little more powerful than Benadryl, but can have some side effects (increased urination). If she only needs it occasionally, it might not be a bad thing to get from your vet.