Keeping our pooches healthy and happy is one of the many obligations that have been entrusted to us as pet owners. The relationship shared between pet and man is beautiful, so good to look at that it should be painted. If something gets into the pretty picture, something that shouldn't be there (like a
), it should be dealt with immediately (erased from the canvas). Seeing your pet lick itself occasionally is accepted as normal canine behavior. But did you know that a dog licking itself too much in certain areas of the body is actually a symptom of a disease? Hard to believe, but the experts of the this field wouldn't just make it up without cold hard scientific facts.
The ailment I'm talking about is know as
– a condition which is characterized primarily by a dog licking itself in an area of its body for “longer than normal” durations. So what's so bad about a pooch doing that to itself for longer than usual? Well, it can cause some hair strands to fall off, which will then lead to an ugly bald patch. A pet with that kind of disorder would still persist on licking the same spot over and over again, until it does damage to that particular spot. Gradually, lesions (cuts or other skin opening injuries) would form, and swelling would take place.
Then little red bumps would start showing up – which gets more painful as it starts to get worse. In some cases, the dog licking disease gets better on its own. The blood shed from the licking would cover the small affected area, dry up, form a scab, flake, and then heal. But sometimes, in rare cases, the infection caused by excessive dog licking becomes so bad that a veterinarian would be left with no choice but to amputate the limb. Again this is rare, but still possible. There are two main causes of lick granuloma, the first being a “behavioral defect”.
It is possible that it has become “a bad habit”, or even embedded into its genes, passed down from generation to generation. Certain dog breeds, such as the Great Danes and Labradors, have been known carriers of the disorder. To deal with that, trainers may be needed, or you could try learning canine behavior modification techniques. This should be used to get rid of the bad habit. The second cause of lick granuloma would be more physical – ticks, fleas, parasites, tumors, etc., can also cause trigger that kind of behavior. To deal with that, keep your pet clean; learning how to groom a dog would be very helpful.
Use soap, shampoo, and powder specially formulated for killing the little critters. These are some of the best preventive measures you can take to avoid lick granuloma, but if the infection already has taken place, there's nothing to worry about. Bring it to a veterinarian and he'll prescribe a suitable
for your pet. Medication usually involves the use of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and even mood-altering pills (“makes” your pet want to stop licking itself).
The information contained in or made available through this website does not substitute the services of trained professionals in any field. Neither we nor our partners, or any of their affiliates, will be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
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