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My 4year old springer spaniel/lab - never laid but soon to be spayed - itches so bad she has chewed a ring almost completely around her tail. Not anal glands but below, the entire region is hairless and chewed at. Sitting on her haunches is painful. Vet said maybe allergies and for 3weeks I gave her 4000mgs Cephalexin & 150mgs benedryl...Nothing! Antibiotics are gone and still the benedryl does nothing. OMG the smell is overwhelming. I bathe her with dawn original & vinegar as usual. She has no fleas. She also has an appt. to be spayed next week. Another trip to the vet is not an option financially. Besides, the last one was moot. Thanx for any input.
There are many good dog health groups on the Internet where you can ask this question and get lots of advice. It would probably be best to wait on the spay until you have resolved the other problem. It could be the dish soap and vinegar are causing irritation. But do ask your question in a dog group.
could it be a flea problem ? or an allergy to fleas ? it could also be a yeast infection because of the odor you mentioned . maybe the dawn and the vinegar is causing a dryness and that could be causing the itching . I think maybe you should consult another vet cause it sounds like your vet cannot put their finger on the cause I would consult another vet .
I would go back to your vet and if necessary get a second opinion, the poor girl sounds like she's horribly uncomfortable. I agree I'd want to know what it is before the spay.
I do not have a dog right now, but I've heard ads on the radio for a mineral supplement for dogs that is supposed to help with allergies and skin conditions. It think its called Dinovite. If I had a dog I would try it. They say that essential nutrients are cooked out of most dog foods.
Both the Springer and the Brittany we had got very itchy in the late summer and fall from something in the air, and they were given otc Benedril (1 per 25#) and this seemed to give them relief.
Your dog may just be allergic to grains, or maybe could benefit from the probiotics in yogurt. Dogs love frozen plain yogurt (with probiotics). Put it in an ice cube tray and pop out one or two cubes as a treat. Couldn't hurt.
Last edited by gentlearts; 08-02-2014 at 06:30 AM..
if theres a foul odor I would get her anal glands checked, even if the itching is not in that exact spot, odor around the rear is typically compacted anal glands. (a groomer can typically do it for next to nothing, but if shes going in to be spayed ask them to express her anal glands while shes under, they'll usually do it for free since the dogs there...
itchy around the tail head is typically Flea allergy (just because a dog doesn't actively have fleas doesn't mean they arnt getting bitten.
id also switch to a grain free food.
The first thing I'd do is stop using Dawn and vinegar. Dawn is a strong soap, and vinegar is an acid. It probably stings like hell to have that on there.
I'm assuming you're using those to deter fleas? Did the vet suggest that?
Can you put your dog on an anti-flea/tick medication from the vet instead?
I'd start washing that area with a very mild, unscented soap. Something like Ivory soap, or one made especially for dogs that have irritated skin. And only when absolutely necessary. Give the area a break from irritation.
Then see a different vet for more answers.
When I was young, my dog had sores that smelled. My father was constantly bathing her with tar soap.
What she actually had was a food allergy, and it turns out she was a breed that needed the oils from her skin to maintain a healthy coat, and should have been bathed no more than twice a year so all the washing was making things horribly worse.
The first thing I'd do is stop using Dawn and vinegar. Dawn is a strong soap, and vinegar is an acid. It probably stings like hell to have that on there.
I'm assuming you're using those to deter fleas? Did the vet suggest that?
Can you put your dog on an anti-flea/tick medication from the vet instead?
I'd start washing that area with a very mild, unscented soap. Something like Ivory soap, or one made especially for dogs that have irritated skin. And only when absolutely necessary. Give the area a break from irritation.
A mild soap or shampoo made for the right pH for dogs would be good. But don't do it too frequently.
Then see a different vet for more answers.
Definitely do this.
I suspect a food allergy. Dogs can be allergic to all kinds of things, corn, soy, wheat, chicken, beef, lamb, etc. Try different foods until you find one that works. Grain free helped my dogs the most, but lamb was a problem for one of my dogs.
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