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Why is my dog constantly scratching her back and tail so much?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 7 years and 7 months old | 65 lbs

my great Pyrenees/yellow lab has been extremely itchy, tearing apart her back & tail. I have switched food with some improvement. I have been wiping the area with cold damp washcloth which makes her feel good for a few minutes.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on June 9th, 2018

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat Bella with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advantage), then get her to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation.

If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start her on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting her on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica or Apoquel).

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Published on April 26th, 2017
Have her examined by your veterinarian to diagnose allergies, skin infection or endocrine imbalances. External parasites such as fleas or mites should also be ruled out. Dis use Bella's diet with the vet to confirm proper nutrition. If she is chewing or licking excessively, place an e-collar (cone) on her. Consider adding an essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement to her diet to promote healthy skin and coat. This would be in addition to whatever treatment your veterinarian recommends. Your vet may have an EFA supplement, such as DermCaps or EicosaCaps, in stock at the clinic.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Paula Simons
Veterinarian
Published on May 12th, 2017
You can give fish oils as a supplement in any food you decide to feed. Fish oils can be purchased from your local pet store and they often come in liquid or capsule forms. Offer the oil in her food daily to improve her coat quality. There are oatmeal based shampoos that help alleviate itching, but if her skin is dry I wouldn't recommend bathing her too often. As far as fleas and ticks, you will want to prevent these guys from biting Bella. You can purchase preventative medication from your local pet store or your veterinarian.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on September 15th, 2017
In bella's case i would say there is a good chance that she is suffering from food allergy. did you try an hypoallergenic prescription diet? if not i would recommend trying that before trying Raw, this way it will be easier to identify the source of the allergy. if the hypoallergenic diet solves the problem, them you can try to switch to raw gradually over a period of 7 days. at first you should try only one source of animal protein, for example chicken, every 2 weeks you can try to add a new source, this way you can identify things she is allergic to.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Health & Wellness

Why is my dog itching? Could it be allergies, fleas, or food?

This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you de-flea Bella regularly every month with a high quality spot on (ex. Advantage) as fleas are by far the most common reason for these reactions. If the fleas are not the problem, it could be an allergic reaction to food or an environmental factor. this is more complicated to treat and will sometimes require medications such as Steroids, anti histamines or cyclosporin in order to stop the allergy.

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My dog scratches his back near tail, no irritation. What's wrong?

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!

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Why is my dog incessantly itching with dark, irritated skin and fur?

I'm sorry to hear that Bella has been so itchy. In dogs, itching can be caused by a variety of different conditions, with the most common including underlying allergies, fleas, ringworm, or mange. When dogs scratch, they damage the outermost layers of the skin barrier, which can lead to the onset of a skin infection. Infections then causes further itching, creating a vicious cycle. The skin on Bella's neck and the inside of her knee do look as though it may be infected. Chronic inflammation, endocrine/hormonal disorders, and autoimmune conditions can all lead to the dark pigment change with the skin thickening that's visible in the pictures. (We call this lichenification and it resembles elephant skin.) The persistence of Bella's itching could certainly lead to such chronic inflammation. Regardless, it's really important that Bella is examined by a vet so that appropriate treatment can be started. Your vet may need to do some skin testing to check for microscopic evidence of infection, as well as checking for mange (caused by mites) or ringworm (a fungal infection). Then, based on those results, they'll be able to prescribe medications to help her feel better. I hope that she's on the mend soon!

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Why is my dog itching her tail, causing a bald spot? How to stop it?

A flea bite could've caused itching and caused this, trauma from rubbing against the fence or something like that or even a bacterial infection could've caused this. This area looks pretty red and inflamed and is likely to become infected from her chewing or licking at the site. I recommend keeping it clean and dry and preventing her from lickingor chewing at the site any further. If it does not clear up within one or two days I would have your veterinarian do an exam. If Bella is not already on a strict flea control protocol I would discuss what options your veterinarian offers.

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Why is my dog biting her tail and back? Fleas, mites, or allergies?

Poor Lola! She could be biting her back and tail because of fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If she isn't up to date on her flea treatment, she will need a spot on treatment such as Advantage or Revolution. You will need to disinfect the environment as well. If she is up to date on her flea treatment, I recommend taking her into the vet for an exam tomorrow. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm. Once the cause of the biting is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment.

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My dog keeps scratching his back near his tail. What should I do?

This is a common location if there is a flea allergy present. I would check him for fleas to see if that is a contributing factor. Dry skin and dandruff can also contribute. The best thing to do is give a bath in a medicated shampoo every week and keep on good flea control. You can try to add a fish oil/omega 3 fatty acid supplement to the food also to help. If he is still scratching after that then you will need to see a vet for further medication

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Training & Behavior

Why is my dog constantly scratching her belly & what can I do?

That looks bad! This scratching can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If Lola isn't up to date on her flea treatment, I can give you one for her. First, I would give her Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash her bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. If she is up to date on her flea treatment, I recommend taking her into the vet for an exam today or tomorrow. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment.

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