5 Things You Should Know About Dog Lick Granulomas 2026

If your dog won’t stop licking one spot on their leg, you might brush it off as a quirky habit. But that relentless, focused licking can spiral into something far more serious: a lick granuloma. These stubborn skin wounds are one of the most frustrating conditions in veterinary dermatology, partly because they’re so difficult to treat and partly because dogs just keep making them worse. Here’s what every dog owner should know about lick granulomas, from what they look like to why they happen and what you can actually do about them. 5 Things Every Dog Owner Should Know About Lick Granulomas #1: What Is a Lick Granuloma? A lick granuloma is a chronic skin wound caused by a dog repeatedly licking the same area, usually on their front legs, just above the wrist or carpal joint. The constant friction strips away hair and damages every layer of skin, creating a thickened, raw, sometimes ulcerated lesion that can be incredibly hard to heal. Also called acral lick dermatitis, lick granulomas go far deeper than the skin’s surface. According to PetMD: “The skin is so deeply affected that even down to the base layer of the skin there can be found under the microscope little pockets of bacteri...