My dog licked his leg raw, open skin. Should I see a vet? How to heal?

Place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent further licking. Consider an exam with your veterinarian to diagnose and treat the underlying cause. Possibilities include parasites (fleas, mites), infection (bacterial or fungal) and allergies (environmental, foodborne, etc). Discuss allergy testing, hydrolyzed diets, food elimination trials and antihistamine use with your veterinarian.

Anything you apply will likely be licked off before it has a chance to help. Your best option is to place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent licking. Contact your veterinarian and ask about OTC or prescription antihistamines that may help if an allergic reaction is involved. A fish oil supplement may also help promote healthy skin. If symptoms persist, consider an exam to rule out infection or injury. You can also discuss allergy testing, food allergies and environmental allergies in depth with your veterinarian.

Hi there! Thanks for using PerCoach! If this is the only place she has been licking, this is likely a lick granuloma in the early stages. This is basically a skin wound that is created by self-trauma. It will take a full examination by a veterinarian to rule out other things though this seems the most likely. Tha main thing is finding out what is triggering this. Sometimes it is behavioral or due to stress and sometimes it is medical in nature such as due to allergies. I recommend that you have Jackie evaluated by your veterinarian to confirm this and to start management for it which often times involves placing an e-collar to avoid more self-trauma, start therapy for the possible inciting cause like allergies, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. In the meantime, you could consider getting an e-collar to avoid self-trauma while you have her evaluated. Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! The black hairless area is a normal elbow callus. The pink area could be a growth or irritation or a skin infection. I would prevent the licking by using an E-collar. Then I would apply a triple antibiotic cream. Force him to lay on soft bedding to prevent further trauma and you can try an antihistamine. If there is no improvement the area should be looked at by a Vet as he may need oral antibiotics and a steroid or apoquel. Those are prescription drugs that can only be prescribed by a Vet that exams your dog. Good luck! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/zyrtec/

An e-collar (cone) is definitely recommended to prevent further licking. Keep the area clean and dry. A dilute betadine or chlorhexidine solution can be used for cleansing. A topical product, such as Vetericyn, can be used after cleaning. You can find it in the local Petco. This may be enough to allow healing, but if not then a trip to the veterinarian for an exam would be necessary. Systemic antibiotics may be indicated to treat infection.

If you haven't yet had him seen by a vet, ideally I would recommend that you have him evaluated. He may have a secondary bacterial infection that needs to be cleared up with antibiotics, and he may benefit from prescription medications such as Apoquel which can make a big difference for these guys! If you are unable to get him to the vet, you can try him on an antihistamine such as Benadryl. See here for dosing info: https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/benadryl/. Try switching him to a "sensitive skin" food, such as this: (this s actually what I feed my dog who has some skin allergies/dry skin/itchiness) https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/hills-science-diet-adult-sensitive-stomach-and-skin-chicken-recipe-dry-dog-food You can also give some Omega 3 supplements, as this may help as well. Bathe him once a week to cut down on topical allergens being absorbed in the skin, and follow with a dog cream rinse. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-shampoo-with-vitamin-d3 https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-rinse-with-vitamin-d3 If these "at home" measures don't give him relief, though, get him in to see your vet. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bogart. The only thing at home you can try is having him wear an E-collar. This will prevent any licking causing further damage from self trauma. It may allow the skin to heal. If this is unsuccessful though, he will need to see a veterinarian. The area could be a mass on his leg (benign or cancerous) or he could have what is known as a lick granuloma. I hope this information helps!