Why is my dog chewing his leg bald? Allergies or dry skin from moving?

How lovely of you to take in this senior dog! Poor Oliver, that area under his front legs looks very uncomfortable for him! Yes, he could be suffering from allergies, and he could also have a secondary bacterial infection from biting and scratching at that area constantly. I would have him seen by your own vet or speak with your vet about referring him to a veterinary dermatologist if your vet isn't sure what is going on with his skin. The cause of this needs to be diagnosed in order for it to be treated, and it may require advanced knowledge from a veterinary dermatologist. I would have him seen by a vet today or tomorrow. In the meantime, put an Ecollar on him to keep him from biting at that area. I will put a link below on how to make one at home. http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could certainly be allergies. In reality, Benadryl probably would not help much in this case. Medications to decrease the itch that could help him include prednisone or a medication called Apoquel. The possible secondary infection would have to be treated as well. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Poor Bowie. There could be several things going on from localized demodectic mange, a local yeast infection, ring worm, a bacterial infection, anxiety and much more. I would strongly recommend to have your vet take a look at him so they can determine the cause and start him on the proper meds to help. In the meantime, you could try some Benadryl to see if it helps. I would also put a cone collar on him to prevent any further damage to the leg. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Dozier! If he is that itchy and also is losing hair then it might be best to have your Vet examined him to rule out a yeast or bacterial skin infection, demodex (non-contagious mite) or allergies. He could have allergies to his food or the environment. You can try an anti-histamine, Omega 3 fish oils and bathing him but if there is no improvement you should have your Vet take a look. You can try changing his food to a non-chicken limited ingredient food to rule out food allergies as well. I attached some links below. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=35790 http://pet-supplies.drsfostersmith.com/search?w=malaseb%20medicated%20shampoo http://pet-supplies.drsfostersmith.com/search?w=nordic%20naturals%20omega-3%20oil https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/zyrtec/

If Jeb is a puppy, some itching/scratching can be normal, we often attribute this to growing skin. If the skin is becoming red or raw, there is loss of hair, or the hair is becoming discolored or there are any crusts/dandruff/pimple like lesions these can be signs of an issue such as allergies and would necessitate a visit to the vet. Giving a fatty acid supplement can help keep the skin moisturized and can decrease inflammation and itching. Products are available at your vet's office, at most pet stores, or online (such as the product Welactin). Continued licking of one specific spot on the body, such as the top of the foot/wrist area, can sometimes be seen with compulsive behavior so if it is just one specific spot then a visit to the vet to discuss this is warranted.

Hi Julie! Poor Perry - he certainly did remove a good bit of hair from that area. Since all of this chewing and itching started after his grooming, I have to wonder if he isn't allergic to the shampoo or other grooming products that were used. Some dogs can also develop a folliculitis, or inflammation at the hair follicle, after grooming, but this typically causes some redness on the skin. It's also possible that the timing is coincidental and that this problem is associated with underlying allergies or other medical conditions. As a starting point, try to give Perry a bath with a gentle hypoallergenic oatmeal shampoo or baby shampoo to try to remove any residue that may remain from the other products. If he's still licking and chewing a few days after the bath, it would be best to have him evaluated by his vet. The vet will be able to examine his skin, perform any necessary testing, and may need to prescribe some topical or oral medication to help manage his itching/chewing. Even though this doesn't sound like a classic flea problem (and you aren't seeing fleas), it's still important to keep Perry on flea prevention consistently to be sure that fleas aren't contributing to the problem. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!