Why does my dog lick her arm for years? Is it behavioral or allergies?

Question

Our mixed breed dog Sammie is almost 16 years old. Going back to the first few years of her life, she has licked her arm between her elbow and her wrist. In reading a couple of articles on this website, licking of the arm and feet is attributed to allergies. Since Sammie has continued this behavior for nearly 16 years and since her overall health has been excellent, I'm inclined to believe that an allergy is not to blame. I'm rather inclined to believe it's behavioral. Any advice is welcomed. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | unspayed | 15 years and 9 months old

Megan, DVM, CVA · Accepted Answer

If it is always the same exact spot and she licks mostly at night before bed or when she is nervous then yes it may be behavioral. If she licks on all feet and both arms then it could still be allergies. Dogs can have allergies all their life. You could try 25mg Benadryl twice a day but she may need something stronger like a steroid or apoquel to help control the itching which would need to be prescribed by your vet. Also, if you haven't tried a food trial, consider trying a low allergen diet like natural balance limited ingredient diet venison and sweet potato. A true food trial needs to be done for a minimum of 8-12 weeks to rule out food allergy. Finally, of between her toes are really red or goopy, she may need antibiotics or an anti-fungal to help. I hope this helps!

Why does my dog lick her arm for years? Is it behavioral or allergies?

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