Lick wounds

[catnapper]

Every year at this time, Nicki gets a lick wound. I should know the name after 9 years of taking her to the vet over it, but I don't. She starts about now and will have at least one wound going at all times until October. We know its from allergies (poor thing)

Problem is, that I'm unemployed right now and money is just not available for our usual means of beating these: Clavamox to clear up the infection on her paw, steroids to beat the itchiness, and some sort of presecription anti-histamine (forget the name too.)

Here's the new one. I knew she was trying to lick, but I had no idea it was this bad already.

I wish it was a better picture, but she was ready to bite me (she's very protective of her paws.)

I have some of her anti-itch prescription shampoo left over from last summer and will bathe her today. But what else can I do to help her? I have NO money right now. Any home remedies for this? You are all so smart.. I just know there's something I can do without money.

[wolfie]

I know this wouldn't help with her discomfort, but you could put an elizabethan collar on her so she can't lick.

You also can give her benedryl for her itchy skin. Dosage 1mg per pound of dog.

I just did some research online. Is it "Lick Granuloma"? It seems to be very difficult to treat (one site says "Treatment is usually lengthy and often only minimally effective") But most sites say long term antibiotics really help. But if you can't afford that right now, I found this little bit on home remedies for it:

"If this dog is not on a venison and rice kibble, that is the only kibble I would use with this type of a problem. Also giving Beta Carotene capsules (buy at grocery store) may help and vitamin C and E supplementation. Lots of fresh air and sunshine also tends to help. I would never put this type of dog in a kennel or keep it confined in a house where the dog may not receive enough sunlight. Aloe Vera jell and Flowers of Sulfur (have your pharmacist order it in) mixed together with some Witch Hazel to dilute it enough to spray from a spray bottle onto the lick spot several times a day may assist in the healing, but repeat involvement would probably keep cropping up due to an internal weakness." (from this site)

Also, exercise might help. And the oatmeal shampoo too. Good luck!!!

[catnapper]

Poor pooch. She is allergic to anything but the Lamb and Rice food I currently feed her... it took us a looong time to find a food she was not allergic to. I noticed this morning that her nose is dripping. Not snot, but water. I feel so bad for her because I have allergies and mine have been acting up too.

Thank you for the Benadryl idea. I think I have some around here somewhere. Should I give her a new pill two or three times a day like humans take it?

The Lick Granuloma is right on target. She has the Elizabethan collar and knows to stop licking on command now because she knows that if she licks, the collar will go on and she hates that more than anything. I'm home all the time now, so I'm comfortable leaving the collar off as long as she's in the same room as me - which isn't too hard because she follows me around anyway. We've always done extended courses of anti-biotics because gettig rid of these is so darn hard.

I dug into my medicine cabinet and found about two weeks's worth of steroids. Perhaps we can get this under control immediately this year and she won't get as bad as she usually does. If I'm home I can spot the new ones immediately and get rid of it. She looked at me with gratitude this morning when I put some neosporin on it - it must have felt good.

[wolfie]

Well, it sounds like you've got it pretty much under control (or as much as you can with this, since it's so hard to cure).

And yes, you can give the benadryl 2-3 times a day like a human. We give some to Cocoa sometimes for her allergies, and she likes taking the liquid kind, but I'm sure the pills work just as well. Good luck, I hope Nicki feels better this year!