What causes my dog to scratch her back until it's bruised and sore?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Jack. Allergies can be very frustrating but with the right diagnosis and treatment, can be effectively managed. You have described what could very well be seasonal allergies called Atopy in dogs since you talk about a seasonal pattern. We are in a peak time for late summer allergies in humans and dogs who are allergic to weed pollens which are high at this time of year. Of course other inhaled allergies could be present and cross reactivity exists between some allergens. Each year or allergy season can be worse than the last if the pet becomes allergic to more things. Dogs can also be allergic to flea bites called Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) and a smaller group of allergic dogs can have food allergies. What you are describing sounds like an inflammation/infection of the skin due to self trauma caused by Jack licking, scratching, chewing, etc those areas. Once the skin barrier is broken the surface bacteria can multiply and gain access to the deeper skin areas causing problems like you discuss. I would advise taking Jack to your vet and let them take a thorough history, do a complete physical, and then advise some diagnostics and/or treatment to address what is going on. Some skin diagnostics include skin scrape, Wood's lamp exam, fungal culture, etc. These would be performed to rule out a problem with mites or fungal organisms. Treatment for allergies includes antibiotics, antihistamines, sometimes steroids for itching, immune modulating drugs (Apoquel), using a good flea/tick product advised by your vet, fish oil, topical treatments, etc. If you wanted to pursue allergy testing, your vet can advise you on that. There are skin tests and blood tests for that and sometimes that involves going to a veterinary dermatologist for some of those services. The goal would be to identify the allergies and then start a hyposensitization program to decrease the body's immune response to the allergy, very similar to allergy shots. They even make allergy drops or sprays that are oral now. Good luck with Jack. I hope he gets a lot more comfortable very soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Typically dogs scratch those areas when they have fleas. Even if you aren't seeing fleas it doesn't mean they aren't there. I recommend getting all pets in the home on monthly prevention every 30 days for at least 3 months. I would call your vet for a dose of Benadryl too. If the Benadryl doesn't help, she may need something stronger to relieve the itch. Good luck and kisses to Meka!

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!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. At such a young age, skin parasites are high on my list as the possible cause. This requires anti-parasite medication to treat Browny with. In the US we use products such as Bravecto and Nexgard to treat skin mites, so something comparable should help with a mite infestation. He may also be dealing with a bad bacterial skin infection in addition to the mites or as its own primary problem. He may also need a 2-3 week course of an oral antibiotic and medicated shampoo such as Douxo PS Chlorhexidine combination shampoo and bathe twice weekly until resolved. I would talk to your veterinarian about skin mites as the possible cause, a skin infection or allergies as the cause. If he does not have skin mites or a skin infection, this could certainly be a severe allergy such as Atopic Dermatitis. With Atopic Dermatitis, certain medications like Atopica or Cytopoint can prove to be quite beneficial and helpful at eliminating or reducing the clinical signs. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I recommend taking Bert to a veterinarian. This can be allergies or there may be an infection on his skin. He also may have fleas, which can make them very itchy and bite a lot. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Bert feels better soon.

It could be an environmental allergen causing Jasmine to scratch in that particular spot, unseen parasites, or an issue with the anal glands or rectum that she can't reach so she is chewing on her back instead. Having the area checked out by your vet may give you some answers as to what is causing it as well as seeing if it needs any additional treatment such as medicated shampoo or antibiotics. You can also try using an old T-shirt to cover the area or an Elizabethan (cone) collar to help break the chewing and allow the area to heal fully. Using a pet or baby wipe when she comes indoors to wipe down the fur in that area may also help remove any irritating allergens if that is the cause.

I would recommend taking Sugar to a veterinarian. There are a few different things that can cause skin like this. It could be allergies and she could just be so itchy that she is creating the infection. It could be fleas and you may just not see them. Even one flea can create bad reactions if the dog is allergic to them. There are different mites that can also make dogs very itchy which in turn leads to issues like this. It could also be an endocrine disorder if everything else is ruled out and then blood work is required to see what is going on with her. Your veterinarian can evaluate her skin, provide medication to help her feel so much better and pin point exactly what is causing this in Sugar. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.