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Why is my dog biting her legs, chasing tail, and licking hindquarters?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Whippet | Female | unspayed | 9 months and 30 days old | 28 lbs

9month beddlington whippet.... just started to chase tail,bite her back legs and licking vagina after eating her evening meal? Any ideas what this could be ?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 31st, 2018

Check Fred very diligently for fleas and /or flea poop near her tail and hind legs. This does sound like she has fleas, especially if you do not do regular flea prevention. I doubt this has anything to do with eating her evening meal. If you find fleas or flea poop (little black specks of dirt, that turn red when put on a white tissue and wetted with a drop of water), you will need to do the following:
Unfortunately fleas only hop on the body of your dog when they want to feed, then they hop off again and stay in your pet's environment. So you need to treat all pets in the household as well as the environment (which contains the fleas, their eggs and larvae).
Flea treatment:
1) Get some flea medication such as a Flea spray or a spot on from a pet shop or your veterinarian and apply monthly 2) get flea powder, put some in your vacuum cleaner bag and vacuum your house and furniture and also non-carpeted areas frequently to remove flea larvae and eggs which live off house dust., Dispose of the bag in the trash outside. Hot-wash all the pet's bedding,
If you do this diligently for a few months you will get rid of the fleas.
Flea products:
Spot-ons:
Advantage, Advantix
Advantage Multi (Advocate in the UK)
Frontline (ticks as well)
Bravecto spot on (ticks as well) - for cats, in tablet form for dogs
Revolution (stronghold in the UK)
Tablets: comfortis (will only kill fleas once)

Collar: Seresto (ticks as well)

House spray: Indoorex

if you cannot find any fleas over several days and this behaviour continues, you will need to take Fred to your vet for an exam.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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