Restless, biting paw, barking, tufted fur: Is my dog sick or bored?

This sounds like a food allergy to me, though fleas are a constant threat and she should be on a good quality flea prevention from your vet. Food allergies in dogs are almost always due to a sensitivity to the protein source. I suggest a food trial. Get a food that has a protein source your dog has never been exposed to, such as venison or duck. Ask you vet about limited protein foods they recommend. Also, treat your house and yard for fleas, just to make sure this isn't a problem. Fleas are opportunistic and will hitch a ride indoors on your pant leg. Behavioral chewing is much less common, but in order to curb that possibility, make sure Yuki gets plenty of playtime and exercise, to tire her physically and mentally. Poms are smart little things and behavior problems often stem from very intelligent dogs not having enough to keep them busy, they need a 'job'. Teach her obedience, get her involved in agility, take her for walks, runs, arrange playdates with other dogs, take her with you wherever you can, teach her tricks, play fetch, anything and everything you can to tire her body and keep her mind busy. Consider getting her a slow feeder or puzzle feeder to make her 'hunt' for her food, and thereby keep her mind occupied and stimulated. The best toy I've found for dogs that need something to do is a Kong toy. They are great for chewing, they bounce randomly so some dogs learn how to amuse themselves with it, and it has a hollow place you can stuff with peanut butter or some other treat to keep her quiet and occupied and not chewing on herself. Hopefully some combination of these will help distract her from chewing herself.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Skin issues like you are describing can have a variety of causes, including skin parasites (fleas or mites), allergies, an infection, or an underlying medical issue (Cushings disease, diabetes). I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his skin lesions, have any necessary testing done (bloodwork, skin scrape, culture) and start on any treatment that he may need. Good luck!

I am sorry to hear about Alfie! Shaking and inability to sit still/get comfortable easily can be a sign of pain/discomfort so I would recommend a visit to his veterinarian for an exam. It is possible he could have some musculoskeletal pain, pain from the anal glands, or pain/irritation of the skin if his itching issue hasn't been treated. The vet can perform a good physical examination on him to help determine what is causing his discomfort and treat it appropriately.

Hi there. What you are describing is suspicious of allergies. While I always recommend that my clients get a skin scrape first to make sure there are no mites, etc, if this is negative we begin the journey to diagnosing the possible allergens. Many dogs have flea allergies. If your pet is up to date on a good flea preventative, this is not as likely. Commonly, dogs can develop food allergies over time as well. The worst part of checking for this is that a true food trial (a new specialized diet) has to be the ONLY thing you feed and can take a few months to see real resorts. Allergy medications are available now through your veterinarian's office. Depending on what they see on physical exam, your pet might be. Candidate for Apoquel or chtopoint injections to control itching. I hope this information helps!

It's possible Bam Bam has developed an allergy (it could be environmental or food related) or that his thyroid is having problems. Unless you are treating him with a very good, oral flea prevention, fleas should still be on your list. This behavior of suddenly jumping up and biting is very commonly associated with flea bites. At home you can try giving him an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for pets but it may not correct the underlying cause. This can however improve over all skin health. There are two brands of food, Royal Canin and Nutro, which are aimed at skin health and they may help as well but again, they may not affect the underlying problem. If he does not improve after 2 weeks, I think your best option is to have him examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask 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 to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

She could be itchy - some dogs with allergies can have itchy skin after going outside. This could also be how she reacts to being stimulated by exercise. If you think she may be itchy or if her skin looks red after going outside you could see if your veterinarian can recommend an oral or topical medication to help her feel more comfortable.