Why is my dog biting her back after grooming? How can I stop it?

You’re right that it can be hard to tell if the cuts came first or after the licking started. It’s possible that the skin was irritated (we call it clipper burn) after grooming, and since dogs lick areas that are uncomfortable, it makes the whole situation worse. The best thing to do is to prevent Pepper from licking anymore. He can wear an e-collar/come for a few days. If the skin isn’t looking better 24 hours after wearing the cone, it may need medications so Pepper should get checked out by his vet.

Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent further licking or chewing. Sometimes, there can be some clipper burn after a grooming which can cause some irritation. The image attach shows what appears to be a small mass or lump. To determine what it is, you will need to have Pepper physically examined by your veterinarian. A fine needle aspirate can be done in the clinic to collect samples for pathology. This may provide a diagnosis. In the meantime, the cone may be enough to allow for healing. Your vet can dispense antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatories if indicated.

Two causes come to mind: 1) Hachi picked up fleas at the groomers and now they are congregating in the tail area and are biting him. Check the base of the tail for fleas and fea dirt and use a flea preventive regularly. 2) Unfortunately many groomers think they know how to empty anal glands and when it is to be done (even when there is no need to!) and do it wrongly, squeezing hard from the outside. THis often bruises the anal sacs and the area around them and starts to get inflamed and hurts. If you can rule out fleas, I suggest you take Hachi to your vet for an exam of the anal glands. He may need an antiinflammatory to resolve the irritation and possible pain.

Some dogs react badly to grooming, especially if made too short. You should try putting an e-collar around his neck to prevent him from biting and causing more damage to himself. If you do not see any improvement within 48 hours- you should take Boo to the vet in order to get treated.

Poor pup! It sounds like he may have some irritation in this area. This can sometimes happen due to skin irritation from the clippers (if his rear end was shaved), a local allergic reaction to the shampoo or other grooming products, or possibly even an anal gland problem since this often causes dogs to act this way. I would recommend getting a topical hydrocortisone spray or ointment labeled for dogs (you can get this at Walmart or most pet stores) and apply to the area to help soothe it. You can also get him a plastic e-collar if needed to keep him from continuing to lick the area and make it more irritated. If he's still acting uncomfortable after 24 hours, I would recommend having him seen by a vet to determine the problem and get him prescription medication to relieve the discomfort.

By your description, your dog might have a sensitivity to being groomed and may have developed "clipper irritation" (aka "clipper burn"). Clipper irritation is not an actual burn. It is, in fact, similar to the type of skin irritation people experience when they shave too close on dry or sensitive skin. [Professional groomers](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-signs-of-a-good-groomer) may recommend the following types of treatment to help soothe the skin and calm the scratching: * Bathing in plain oatmeal or [oatmeal shampoo](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/earthbath-oatmeal-and-aloe-totally-natural-pet-shampoo) for pets * Gently applying witch hazel to affected areas * Gold Bond medicated powder or plain cornstarch * Triple antibiotic cream or ointment * [Hydrocortisone spray](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-spray-with-5-hydrocortisone) for pets (available in petstores) * Bag Balm * Specific treatments for soothing clipper or razor irritation (available in petstores) - sprays, gels, shampoos * Diaper rash cream With some of these suggestions you will need to make sure that your pet cannot lick off the treatment. Rubbing creams or ointments in completely and/or wiping off excess, using an [E-collar](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/well-and-good-e-collar) (cone), or only applying when you can observe your dog closely can all help to prevent ingestion and excessive licking. If your dog has open wounds or any of her wounds worsen even with treatment or appear infected, please see your veterinarian immediately. She may have developed a skin infection secondary to the clipper irritation.

From what you are describing, it sounds like Shebah might have a lick granuloma. These occur when something irritates the skin causing your dog to lick repeatedly on the affected area. As they lick, the area becomes more and more irritated. The irritating and swelling then causes the dog to want to lick more. This is a painful and self-perpetuating process that will go on and on until stopped. The first thing that you will need to do is prevent Shebah from licking and biting. An e-collar or t-shirt will be required in order to accomplish this. I would also clip the hair around the affected area and clean it off with some chlorhexidine solution, which you can obtain at a pharmacy. Depending on the extent of the injury, Shebah may require antibiotics as well as topical steroids in order to control the itching. If things aren't starting to look better after following these instructions in a couple of days, she will need to see a veterinarian.