Why Does the Skin on My Dog's Leg Look Weird After Grooming?
It is not uncommon for dogs to experience mild folliculitis after clipping, but providing relief before a lick granuloma develops is key.
My Dog's Skin Is Irritated After Grooming—What Should I Do?
"I have a 5-year-old rescue lab mix who recently got a haircut. Afterward, I noticed a weird spot on her left outer paw forefoot area on the opposite side of her inner dew claw. What could it be? Thank you!" —Cass
Folliculitis in Dogs After Clipping
Based on the photo you provided, it appears that your dog has very mild folliculitis on the leg. These are relatively easy to treat and do not usually need oral antibiotics. (1) Folliculitis after clipping can be caused by:
- A Clipper Wound: This can happen when the hair is clipped too short and the skin is damaged. For example, if your dog has a catheter on the leg, the skin is clipped short to clean it before the catheter is placed, and often there is skin irritation from the blade.
- Clipper Burn: When the clipper is too hot, the skin can become damaged. This can happen when the blades get too hot, which is why groomers are constantly switching blades to avoid damaging your dog's skin.
- Very Early Lick Granuloma: This can start secondary to separation anxiety, an insect bite, or scratching and licking the leg for any reason.
- Scratching
- Hormones
- Allergies: Many allergies will cause dogs to lick between the toes, but sometimes they will start chewing on the skin of the leg instead.
This appears so mild that the bacteria that is infecting the skin, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, may clear up without treatment or just by cleaning the skin with dilute iodine. If this is clipper burn, it is simple to take care of at home. The thing that is most important is to prevent the development of secondary lick granuloma.
Without proper treatment, lick granulomas can easily become severe.
How to Prevent or Soothe a Lick Granuloma
Sometimes all it takes to relieve the irritation and prevent a lick granuloma is a colloidal oatmeal spray that you can apply to the inflamed area to relieve the itching to the wounded area and discourage the dog from licking the spot.
If you notice your dog is still licking the spot and it appears to be growing worse, even with the oatmeal spray, take care of it immediately. You can:
- Use an Elizabethan Collar: This will provide a barrier so that your dog cannot reach the irritated spot. It is similar to covering the wound with a bandage, but many dogs will just chew a bandage off, so this is a better option.
- Apply Coconut Oil: This oil will decrease the itching since the wound will be moist, and it also has some mild antimicrobial activity. It needs to be used about four times a day and can be a little messy if used around carpet, so it is best to use just before taking your dog for a walk. Since I have plenty of coconut trees, I make virgin coconut oil at home, but it is easy to buy. There is coconut oil made for dogs available online, but you can use any of the unrefined, virgin coconut oils at your local supermarket.
- Apply Aloe Vera Gel: Aloe has natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties and can be used 2–3 times a day until the lesion goes away. Aloe gel is non-toxic, but it should be used with the Elizabethan collar so that the dog does not lick the substance off. This plant has all sorts of benefits for minor wounds on dogs and humans, so I have a row of aloes that I can cut a leaf from every time I need to use it. They are best in warm environments, but if you live in a colder area, you can keep aloe as a house plant.
When to See a Vet
If the licking continues despite your best efforts, this can become a behavioral OCD-type issue. Some dogs will need (and respond to) anxiety medications. Hopefully that will not be necessary, but if you need to, discuss potential medications with your local veterinarian, and be sure to take care of this before your dog needs surgery to remove the granuloma.
Source
(1) Bajwa J. Canine superficial pyoderma and therapeutic considerations. Can Vet J. 2016 Feb;57(2):204-6. PMID: 26834275; PMCID: PMC4713004. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4713004/
This article is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from your veterinarian. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.
© 2023 Mark dos Anjos, DVM
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