biting/scratching

[KJohnson]

A couple months ago (around February) Westin got fleas pretty bad, and we didn't know becuase he had just gotten neutered, so he had the cone collar on. By the time we noticed, he had them all over, so we got him on Advantage and they all died off about a week or two later...
Recently, Westin has begun scratching again and I saw a couple fleas, so I re-administered the Advantage a couple weeks earlier than his 6-week-apart treatments (this was on Wednesday night) yesterday, my boyfriend noticed that Westin is still scratching and biting himself. So much so, in fact, that he has started to bite his skin raw and start bleeding. I can't see any more fleas and I haven't been able to find any reason for his biting and scratching- no noticeably dry skin or anything. I was wondering if anyone had any previous experience with habitual biting or had any idea what could be going on.
I have heard that if scratching becomes a habit, dogs will do it just because they feel the need to, even until bleeding. Has anyone heard of this?

[Louwants]

It could be allergies. This time of year, it could be the grass and or could be food. Have you changed his food or anything? Do you use any sprinkle type carpet freshners? I had one dog that was allergic to that.

Try giving your dog a one Children's Meltaway Benedryl every 8 hours to help him stop chewing on his feet. The meltaways are great and easier to give than pills. Just pop in the mouth and hold their mouth shut for a few seconds. That way, they are least apt to spit it out.

[MyPemCharlie]

My last dog had a severe flea allergy (in addition to everything else he was allergic to). He was on an oral flea preventative, which did not kill adult fleas but sterilized them so the eggs wouldn't hatch. Maybe once or twice a year, he would get a flea bite and chew a hot spot about 1-2" diameter. The hot spots very often took up to a month to heal, but spraying them with an itch-relief spray (PetRelief Anti-Itch brand) seemed to minimize the chewing and let the fur grow back more quickly.

The Advantage you are using actually kills adult fleas, but can take 4-12 hours before the flea dies. Plenty of time to bite and lay eggs, so you may have more eggs hatching soon. Vaccuum, vaccuum, vaccuum (and throw the bags out) and wash his bedding.

Dogs can develop an obsessive disorder and suffer from lick granuloma. I wouldn't worry about that right now. Sounds like a flea bite sensitivity. However you do want to stop him from chewing as best you can, so that he doesn't escalate to thinking that chewing on himself is a fun pastime.

Charlie occassionally licks his front paws to the point I think it's more than just grooming. I squirt some of the Itch-Relief spray on his feet and he stops.

[Michael Romanos]

Two things that will still make a dog, that has had one of the recommended treatments against fleas, scratch on occasions are: more fleas honing in before dying, the presence of ticks. The best of the anti flea drugs will also kill off most ticks but maybe not all and not the most vicious types of ticks (that we don't have in New Zealand, thank goodness). Of course the drugs can be appleid incorrectly or with Advantage, the dog too soon subjected to water such as a bath or a swim.The Frontline that Taylor gets is administered every four months and kills off fleas and ticks very effectively.

[Louwants]

I would still give Westin a Benedryl, whether it is allgeries to fleas bites, grass or food, just to relieve the itching until you can have some test done on him.
I thought Duncan was having problems with fleas or dry skin, when it ended up being food apparently. As soon as I changed his food from one with no wheat or corn, the constant scratching stopped. If and when he starts chewing on his feet, I know it's the grass now, which he has shown reaction to in the spring.

[KJohnson]

Thanks for all the ideas. We've been putting his cone collar on (left over from his neuter) while we are out of the house and trying to keep an eye on him when we are home. We have hot-spot spray that's been working relatively well also. I don't think it's his food, since he's been on Canidae ALS since we got him at 8 weeks. We got him some more Children's Benadryl and that's been working fairly well also. At this point, I've been checking his "wound" (where he tore the skin) daily and as of this morning, he's got a bruise-colored patch of skin where he has started to bite right above the tear in his skin. I'm almost positive that it's flea sensitivity, but I'm wondering why it didn't show up the first time he had fleas? Why only the second time around? If there are any more ideas I'd love to hear them!

[LaRogue]

We got him some more Children's Benadryl and that's been working fairly well also. At this point, I've been checking his "wound" (where he tore the skin) daily and as of this morning, he's got a bruise-colored patch of skin where he has started to bite right above the tear in his skin. I'm almost positive that it's flea sensitivity, but I'm wondering why it didn't show up the first time he had fleas? Why only the second time around? If there are any more ideas I'd love to hear them!

Obsessive biting and scratching can be symptoms of other conditions besides allergies. If you haven't already done so, I would contact my vet, to find out for sure. I had a corgi that a vet misdiagnosed as having allergies. If your dog has a wound and discolored skin, it's time for a professional or a second opinion.

[KJohnson]

Thought I'd bring this up again, I just got back from the vet.
Turns out Westin has a combination of two ear infections, a bacterial infection on his belly AND possibly mites of some sort in his skin. SO, turns out that is what the scratching is. Our vet isn't ruling out an allergy, but she doesn't think that's what it is concidering he is so young, and puppies don't normally come up with allergies this bad as young as he is. So he's on anti-inflammatory, anti-biotics, has ear drops AND she gave up some medication to give him in a couple weeks (Revolution?) that will rule out the mites if that's what it is (we can't give it to him now since I just gave him Advantage again last Monday and we don't want to flood his system)
Just thought I'd let everyone know! Thanks for all the advice!

[Michael Romanos]

I've had an article published (and will be published again in the near future) of the reasons why a dog itches and scratches themselves. If anyone wants a rough copy of the article email me on mjromanos@hotmail.com

[LaRogue]

Turns out Westin has a combination of two ear infections, a bacterial infection on his belly AND possibly mites of some sort in his skin. SO, turns out that is what the scratching is.

You vet wasn't able to determine if there were mites (and type) or not with a skin scrapping? I hope Westin is feeling better soon.

[KJohnson]

he got the skin scraping and he for sure doesn't have one kind, but I guess there is a kind that might not show up, and he didn't have that one from the samples she took, but it is possible that he could still have it from the amount of itching he is doing, so we are doing preventative medicine for mites AND fleas.