Bichon pup chews her back leg

valpuk

Hi

I am trying to find out some information while trying to avoid vet charges if possible,

My 7 month pup is starting to chew her back leg, around the thigh area to be precise.

I have wormed her, flea-ed her and i wash her on a regular basis.
I used to wash her once a wk but now i try to stretch it to 2 wks if i can. She has sensitive skin so i dnt want to over wash her and irritate it.

She is starting to get a bald patch where she is chewing so i am very worried about her now.
She goes to chew it at least every 10-20 mins.

Any advice or info would be helpful as i want to try and get to the bottom of this.
If i cant then i will prob have to take her to vet to get a perscription of anti-histamines.

Thanks

leanne923

My bichion just turned 1 last week and she does the same thing only not so often. At first I thought it was flea's but after much inspection I couldn't see one little flea. When she's bored or irratated she tends to go for it but we all just try stop her and take her mind off it by giving her a belly rub!!! usually works!!

Personally I dont wash her that often as Bichions are known to have terrible skin, the breeder we got her off was super and really explained that their skin drys out so much quicker because of their fur, maybe try washing her less often and stopping her chewing her leg when she does it!! Also pet shops sometimes might have special shampoo for her or ask your groomer, usually they have better answers than the vets!!

Ruby Soho

Has the vet ever checked her anal glands? Next time you're in, maybe ask him to check if they're impacted or infected. Chewing / biting of the thigh area can be symptomatic of this, along with the usual scooting etc, but some dogs will only demonstrate the chewing of hind legs. Most groomers should be able to express them, but if they're very sore or impacted the vet should really do it.
Also, bathing every week, or even every two weeks is excessive, particularly if she already has sensitive skin. I only wash my dogs about every 3-4 months, or when they get particularly smelly / dirty and less frequently during the winter. There's really no need to do it more often, and yes, my dogs are big house dogs! They really don't smell bad though.

valpuk

thank you for your replies.

I have taken her twice to a groomer since she was 8 wks.
I only wanted her to get used to being groomed.
I thought that it was common practice for groomers to do anal glands when grooming?
I never thought of the anal glands thing.

Trust me, she is NEVER bored so its definitely not that.

She will be running around barking after her toy and she will stop dead in her tracks and start chewing her thigh.
Even this morning i had her up on the bed and playing with 1 of her toys and she dropped it and went to chewing.

I must take her to get that done so.

Thanks guys

rhonin

Our Bichon did the same thing.
Our vet suggested we change to a raw diet. She also emptied her anal glands as they were full. She is on the raw diet over a month now. She hasn't chewed on her leg since. I would get her anal glands looked at. See will that help.

valpuk

I gave a go at emptyin her anal glands yesterday... o dear god ! that stuff stinks ! ! !
I could do about half of it and had to stop.
Must go bk at it later.
Seems to have done the trick

cloudy day

valpuk wrote: »

I gave a go at emptyin her anal glands yesterday... o dear god ! that stuff stinks ! ! !
I could do about half of it and had to stop.
Must go bk at it later.
Seems to have done the trick

I had a Welsh Border Collie once (yes, they are diff to the Other Borders) and he regularly had full anal glands that had to be emptied. Used to take him to vet. he would scratch at his rear end until raw.

valpuk

PROBLEM SOLVED ! ! !

Hi guys!

Just thought I'd fill you guys in.:o

Took Sassy to the vets last night and she got a full NCT .:D:D:D

The vet advised that it could be a condition that and I quote "the dog thinks they have an itch even though they dont, and they will keep constantly chewing and scratching that spot cause they dont know that they do not have an itch in the first place." This condition is most common in westie's.
Or else it may be that certain part of her skin in extremely sensitive.

Anyways she was given an injection and a perscription of steroids. I have to keep her on them for the next wk and half and hopefully that will clear her up.
If not then she needs to go on a specific skin allergy diet. Hope it doesnt come to that ! ! :(:(:(