need some help with a "chewing" Dog

[radfringe]

our 8 year old Airdale (DAX) has taken to chewing up her rear hip -- previously it was her foot -- fur missing, and "sores"
(we are thinking of renaming her "chew-BARKA")

she's been to the vet - no skin problems/parasites etc.
Vet gave us some "bangard" stuff to put on it, suppose to taste awful and discourage dog from licking/chewing -- Dax doesn't care, licks it anyway (Sour Apple/bitter apple doesn't work on her either)

we've given her a bath, put on the bangard, and have tried various anti-itch sprays for dogs -- none of it seems to work

last night I doused the areas with Sulfadene, and did my best to bandage and wrap the area -- she seems ok this morning. Any suggestions on what else I can use/do?

[Rhiannon12866]

1. I've thought of all the things that you tried

Is it possible that she's bored? I have the same problem with my Sara, she licks and chews herself if she's bored, and was recently treated for a "hot spot," the only dog that I've ever had treated for this. She's more hyper than other dogs that I've had. I've also discussed allergies with my vet, and he thinks that her chronic ear and skin problems may be due to this. I try to give her a healthy diet, to avoid allergic reactions, but I'm told that it could be as simple as grass or mold. Tests are expensive, but I'm considering them. Let me know what you learn and I will reciprocate. Thanks.

[MidwestMomma]

2. Any possibility she is suffering from arthritis?

Sometimes they chew on the joints that are causing them pain. That's what my Australian Shepherd did. Maybe check into that and they have doggie medicine for arithitis, can't think of it's name.

Sometimes you just have to break the cycle. I had to put one of those cones on my dog when I couldn't supervise her until her leg healed one time.

Also, my dog was allergic to flea bites so I always had to get the flea stuff that kills them without having to have the fleas bite.

That's all I can think of. I know how rough it is though. My dog chewed her back leg up so bad one time while I was at work it made me cry.

Keep us updated and hang in there.

[Ladybast]

3. When pets start chewing their fur off

It is usually, in my experience, the beginnings of a pathological itch that may come from allergies, but the allergies themselves may be "caused" by vaccination. Many more pets have this now than, say, 40 years ago, a period during which the number and kind of vaccinations they receive has increased exponentially, and the foods they eat have become much less natural (we used to feed pets on scraps from normal family meals.)

As a homeopath, I have now cured six of these cases, 5 in cats and one in a dog. All stopped chewing and their hair grew back. All of the animals required different remedies, and their symptoms varied slightly. Several animals required more than one remedy. All but one of the animals needed remedies that are commonly used in a different context to address negative vaccine consequences, so this is suggestive. The other animal had a family history of severe allergy.

I can't tell from your brief account what remedy your dog needs, but I would caution against using an external substance like Sulfodene to suppress the itch. Even if it seems to work, the energy of the inflammation has to be expressed elsewhere, and it is not uncommon for animals (and humans) to develop a more serious inflammation--most commonly asthma or joint inflammation. after the suppression of a skin disorder. Homeopaths see this constantly, and so do pediatricians, who have not yet caught on to why young teenagers treated with acne suppressing drugs somehow seem to get asthma.

[xultar]

4. What about a soft Elizabethan collar? they sell them on the web

she can wear it when she chews.

[Lizzie Borden]

5. My thinking on this is...

that it's probably a psycological reaction to something, rather than a physiological one. Sometimes dogs just start 'chewing' on themselves for no discerable reason (at least it's something we humans can't see). There's a good book called: Dogs Behaving Badly,An A_Z Guide to Understanding and Curing Behavioral Problems in Dogs. The author is Dr. Nicholas Dodman. I think he also wrote: The Cat Who Cried for Help.

[Longhorn]

6. Do you have the book?

If so, does it say anything about dogs peeing inside to mark their territory? I'd be glad to get the book if I knew it would help. Thanks!

[Scout]

7. my dog did this from allergies

I had a shepherd/lab mix that had allergies to grass, moss, mold spores, and cat dander.

Her symptoms started when she was still young ... rashes on her abdomen, then became more serious with the licking/biting her hips until all the fur was gone and she had a livid red raw patch of skin. (I came home from work one day and discovered what she'd done to herself; it was awful.)

Took her to MSU vet school for allergy testing, and they made a serum for her that I had to inject daily.


My dog now has a mild allergy, probably a food allergy ... nothing else showed up on the skin patch test. She licks her feet a lot, to the point of being moist and red/inflamed between her toes; also her muzzle was itchy, she'd rub it on the floor.


Have you changed your dogs food? Eight years old seems too old for allergies to be appearing (I'm not a vet, just my opinion), but it's something to think about. You could try a very simple homemade diet of one protein and one starch. I've made homemade lamb and rice meals for one dog, and homemade venison and potato meals for the other dog. If the problem clears up on the simple diet, you can try introducing other ingredients one at a time and watch for itching to reappear (or not!).

Anything changed in Dax's environment? new carpet? some kind of cleaning chemical or spray? when did the chewing start and how long's it been happening?

hope you find the solution, good luck!