Why does my dog keep getting new sores on his paw from licking?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

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  Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

  Veterinarian

  Published on November 8th, 2017

  Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Based on your description and picture, this may be what we call a acral lick granuloma. This can be caused from obsessive licking in one particular area usually on one of the limbs. I would recommend using malacetic conditioning spray and apply to the area until resolved. If there is no improvement or the area worse than I would have a veterinarian exam in this area for further treatment and diagnostic recommendations. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please feel free to contact me with any other questions or concerns that you may have.

  

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  Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

  Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

  Published on August 24th, 2018

  The pictures look like the issue might be beyond just the surface of the skin. It could be caused by a range of things, such as bacterial or fungal infection, allergies, obsessive compulsive disorder, pain in the paw or joint underneath, etc. It is probably best to have Lewis checked out by a vet. If there is an infection, or antibiotics will likely work better than a topical antibiotic. Until he sees the vet, you need to prevent him from licking, since licking will make infection worse and will significantly delay healing no matter the cause. You can try to cover the wound with a sock or other garment, or have Lewis wear an e-collar.

  

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  Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

  Veterinarian

  Published on March 25th, 2018

  These type of lesions can have many causes. Dogs often get these hot spots (aka acral lick granulomas) for a few different reasons, so it's difficult to say what's causing it. Ty may be over-licking the area because it's sore, has something like a thorn stuck in it, or it has an infection. In fact, these types of lesions tend to develop infections in the skin despite the cause. It's best to have a veterinarian examine it to see if they can locate the source of the pain. If the source is not identified and treated, then this will not get better. For now, you can do the following: 1) Clip the hair around the area and expose all of the sore skin. 2) Wash/spray the area with just cool, clean water (no soap or other antiseptics) for at least 5 minutes at a time. Do this at least twice a day. 3) Bandage the wound with gauze and apply an over-the-counter antibacterial cream (i.e Neosporin) to the wound. Keeping it covered and keeping Ty from licking it will be the most difficult part of the treatment. You can help keep the bandage on by placing a good (really sticky) tape above and below the bandage. You can find sprays in the pet store, like bitter apple, that are meant to deter licking. This can be sprayed on the bandage (not the wound) to help keep Ty from chewing it off. NOTE: Be careful not to bandage too tight or it can cut-off the circulation. If you notice that the toes/foot starts to swell, then remove the bandage and leave it off until the swelling goes down. You can also put the clean sock over the bandage to help protect it. These types of lesions tend to take a long time to heal, so don't be surprised if its not completely healed until a month later. Once the skin looks normal and Ty stops trying to lick, you can stop the cleaning/bandaging. I hope that helps and Ty gets better soon.

  

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