I'm not sure whether this comes under 'Health' or 'Behaviour' - it's floating somewhere between the two! Anyway - Beattie has always been a very intense sort of a character -not laid back in the slightest. When we went away for the weekend recently we left the Boy in charge of the house, and he took the dogs for walks and fed them as normal (though he did have more people round which may have unsettled her). Whether it was the change in routine or not (she's always been fine when we have house-sitters in) she's started licking her front legs, and this morning I've come down to a red-raw bald right pastern which was fine and smooth last night. I've been making her diet blander and have put anti-chewing spray over her (though not on the sore place). I'll keep her with me in case it's purely behavioural (she'll stop licking straight away when I tell her to 'leave') but is there a safe anti-itch medicine that might help? I'm going into town today so could go into Boots.
:)

hypericum/calendula lotion is very soothing for a dog, you could also put aloe vera gel on top to protect the area and discourage further licking (although some dogs like it and it will certainly do no harm).

You could give Urtica Urens 6c by mouth, boots do it.

HTH

Thanks Tohme, I'll go into Boots and get some. I can foresee I'll be sleeping in a dog's bed for a few nights to stop her night-time activities!

Lick granuloma's are often started because of stress, pain (present or referred) or injury - might be as simple as a small scratch that she started licking.

If you can stop them early they are less likely to develop into a problem (and those great black holes you see in some dogs).  If putting things on it or into her don't work you may like to consider acupunture.  This worked with one of my dogs a long time ago.

Unfortunately there are several places on both front legs where she's been worrying at. We're fairly sure it's down to stress - she is never relaxed. She's been very good today about not licking - I've got her some calendula cream but neither Boots nor the health food shop had Urtica - I'll try in another town tomorrow. Looks like I'll be sleeping under the kitchen table with her tonight!

Our Phoebe (liver ) does this from time to time, and we've linked it to her hormones - usually a few weeks before she's due in season.

I use Merlin ointment mixed up with Thornit - seems to help a lot, but don't really know why!!!

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

boots should stock it as they make the stuff and stock Nelson's too!

It should be under complementary medecine; it comes in blue plastic containers (Boots) or green plastic ones (Nelsons) and you just give a tablet on the tongue to help with the itching.

I had a look at the homoeopathic range (Boots and Nelsons) and their alphabetical list only went up to Thuja. There wasn't even a space for anything more at the end. :( I'll try in Leamington tomorrow. It's a bigger branch there.

Hi, you could also try Teatree Antiseptic Cream, I use it for my dogs and it heals and discourages from liking as certainly my dogs hate the smell of it.  I get the tube out and they flee..... they have never licked an affected area when Teatree is applied.

Lynn