Tips to Heal Acral Lick in Dogs

When your pet obsessively licks a limb (typically the front leg at the wrist or carpal bones), this is referred to as acral lick. This condition is more often seen in dogs than cats (it is rare in cats). In the beginning, you may just notice your dog’s fur turning a rusty color from saliva staining. Over time, this repetitive licking leads to the development of a thick, firm, oval plaque in the skin. From that point, the skin can deteriorate quickly. Once changes are visible to the skin, this is called acral lick dermatitis (or sometimes called acral lick granuloma). This can be a stubborn and very frustrating condition to manage. Let’s take a look at the causes and what you you can do to help your pet.

In addition to witnessing licking, early signs of acral lick dermatitis are rusty-colored staining and areas of alopecia.

What Causes Acral Lick?

The obsessive licking of acral lick dermatitis may initially be triggered by organic causes, but half the cases are considered idiopathic (no clearly understood underlying cause). Even when the trigger is known, the licking becomes a compulsive behavior and this condition is considered to be the epitome of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in dogs.

Behavioral/psychological triggers for acral lick can include boredom, separation anxiety, or other reason the dog turns to the self-soothing, endorphin-releasing habit of excessive licking. Organic triggers include anything that causes pain or a tingling sensation or itch: arthritis in underlying joints, flea bites, infection, allergy, previous trauma, or a surgery site.

How Severe is This Condition?

Acral lick dermatitis may be mild at first, but the longer the excessive licking continues, the more severe the skin lesions become. Even if the skin was not itchy to begin with, it becomes sore and itchy as a result of licking, which perpetuates the cycle. This is called the itch-lick cycle. Non-healing sores and infection often results. This makes your dog feel more itchy and uncomfortable, and the itch-lick cycle is perpetuated.

Chronic, non-healing lesions of long-term acral lick dermatitis in a dog

How to Stop the Itch-Lick Cycle

The only way to reduce acral lick dermatitis is to interrupt the itch-lick cycle. But because of the obsessive-compulsive nature of this condition, stopping this cycle is not easy. The first step is to determine if there are any organic diseases present, such as infection, flea-bite dermatitis, allergic reactions, demodex mites, arthritis, or other causes that need to be addressed.

Because the skin lesions that develop in acral lick dermatitis can be varied and complex, it is important to work with your veterinarian. Any infection must be treated, mites and fleas must be controlled, and inflammation must be reduced so the skin can heal. In some cases, treatment of the underlying organic cause will cure the acral lick. But for many cases, the additional behavioral component will need to be addressed.

Anything that triggers psychological or physical stress in your dog can be a reason it chooses to self-soothe by excessive licking. Consider if your pet experiences any of the following and take action to remedy the problem:

• Is your dog left alone for long periods?

• Is your dog confined to a crate for long periods?

• Is your dog high energy and not getting enough regular exercise?

• Is there a new pet in the house?

• Are there new dogs in the neighborhood or nearby dogs in heat?

• Has your dog lost a family member (death of a human companion or other pet; family member moved away)

Regular exercise, access to nature, high quality food, and healthy companionship can all help your dog feel more at ease. Acupuncture can be an excellent adjunct therapy to relax and calm animals.

Herbal Help From CMD Pet Solutions

Acral lick dermatitis is a complex issue. In addition to actual skin lesions, the itch-lick cycle is a powerful psychological issue that is not easily resolved without help to soothe the mind. Chinese Medicine Dermatology excels at treating complex itchy skin conditions such as this.

When the mind is disturbed due to itchy skin, we must address this during any treatment we provide, or it will take a very long time to heal the skin. In our Chinese Medicine terminology, we say we must “Calm The Shen” (calm the spirit) in order to calm the mind.

Our herbal supplement Solution AL: Calm Lick has special herbs that Calm the Shen to soothe the obsessive mind. It also contains herbs that are specifically known to Stop Itch, herbs that reduce inflammation in the skin of the limbs, and herbs to reduce pain in the skin and joints. It is a complex formula to address a complex problem.

We recommend giving your pet Solution AL: Calm Lick twice daily with meals. Once the obsessive licking is reduced, you can add in any of other formulas to more specifically address the underlying skin issue that may be present (such a flea bite allergy, demodex mites, hot spots, or folliculitis). When you are ready to more directly address the skin itself, start by giving the specific skin supplement once per day while still giving Solution AL: Calm Lick once per day. Your vet can help you decide which skin conditions are present and need to be treated.

While giving Solution AL: Calm Lick supplement internally to reduce the itch-lick cycle in your dog, you can use any of our topical herbal products to help the skin right away. Your vet can talk to you about what skin lesions are present that need to be addressed. Then choose the external products as appropriate from our catalog (or see links in above praragraph).

Be Patient

Be patient with your pet. Your dog is uncomfortable and needs your understanding and help. As frustrating as this condition can be for both of you, yelling or trying to “correct” your dog when it starts licking is typically not helpful at all. So be patient and observant, and take action to help your pal. You can turn this condition around. Consistency is the key to successfully treating any skin issue. Give the herbal supplement twice per day, apply any appropriate external herbal products as suggested on the label, and you will see improvement in 1 to 2 months, if not much sooner.

Solution AL: Calm Lick to support your pet who is dealing with acral lick dermatitis

References:

Miller, William H., Griffen, Craig E., & Campbell, Karen L. (2013). Muller & Kirk’s Small Animal Dermatology - 7th edition. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

* For best results, combine use of these products with professional care from a licensed veterinarian. These products and statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. The information provided on this website is for educational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your veterinarian. Many skin diseases have similar symptoms and can look alike to the untrained eye. Some skin conditions can be serious. Some require pharmaceutical treatment and regular monitoring. If you are not certain what is causing your pet’s skin symptoms, seek professional veterinary care for your pet before trying to solve the problem yourself. Proper diagnosis is vital to choosing the most effective treatment.