Licking Sores

[Guest Anonymous]

I recently took in a 5 year old GSD that has a history of Lick Granuloas. I took her to the vet and had a CBC workup done. Her blood test was good except for the elevated white cells which are attributed to the massive infections that have taken over her legs. Her lympnodes in both hind quarters are swollen and she has a limp in the leg that is most infected. I have already contacted the previous owner and we have discussed euthanasia, and agree that the dogs quality of life is not good as she is not able to run, or jump or play with the other dogs that I have. Due to the infections in her legs and the swelling of her joints. Has anyone ever had a dog that had this condition and had it successfully treated? The vet that I take all my animals to says their are many different treatments that can be tried, but that they do not have any success rate. If anyone has any information I would really love to hear from you. :(

[Guest Anonymous]

LuvsGSD02 napisał(a):

I recently took in a 5 year old GSD that has a history of Lick Granuloas. I took her to the vet and had a CBC workup done. Her blood test was good except for the elevated white cells which are attributed to the massive infections that have taken over her legs. Her lympnodes in both hind quarters are swollen and she has a limp in the leg that is most infected. I have already contacted the previous owner and we have discussed euthanasia, and agree that the dogs quality of life is not good as she is not able to run, or jump or play with the other dogs that I have. Due to the infections in her legs and the swelling of her joints. Has anyone ever had a dog that had this condition and had it successfully treated? The vet that I take all my animals to says their are many different treatments that can be tried, but that they do not have any success rate. If anyone has any information I would really love to hear from you. :(

I had a dog (an ancient rescue) that had huge lick sores on every leg - before we finally lost him he was down to one small dime sized area on one leg that was nearly healed.
From all I have learned since about the problem I instinctively did the right thing ;-) which was fortunate for the dog. Lick sores have to be tackled on several fronts all at the same time. Its as much an obsessive compulsive disorder that is the problem as is the infections.
You need to treat the infections and at the same time break the lick pattern. Increasing directed exercise -bone chewing if not walking an running as yet will work, doing training - tricks if not basic obedience stuff - give the dog new environments to visit new things to do and maybe even new playmates when its feeling better.
What happens with the licking is it seems to increase production in the brain of a chemical that is rather like morphine and induces a pleasurable euphoria for the dog. Other compulsive actions such as non stop barking work in a similar manner for dogs.
I think if you want to save the dog it would be worth your while to find a veterinary behaviorist who could help you with a full treatment program from drugs to behavior modification techniques.
What I did by accident (long walks, games, obedience lessons, love, a new diet, plenty of stuff to chew, and redirecting his mouth to something else every time he chewed PLUS meds for the sores) you could have put into a neat program to help your dog by such a behaviorist.