Why is my dog spinning, biting her foot, and licking her rear end?

There can be lots of reasons to lick back there. Allergies are the most common cause, and it could be a reaction to flea bites, foods, or the environment. Intestinal parasites and anal gland issues can also cause irritation. Licking can also be seen during the heat cycle of intact females.

This sounds like Riley may be in pain on his hind end. He may have an anal sac problem such as an anal sac impaction or infection or abscess. Another problem could be that his hips are hurting, a sprain or other trauma to his hind end. I suggest you take him to a veterinarian for an exam. An anal sac problem (which is very painful) can be easily treated, whereas a musculo-skeletal problem may need x-rays to determine the condition and treatment.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Usually chewing at the back end or bum is caused by the following: 1. Full anal glands- these can rupture if not emptied 2. Flea allergy dermatitis (an over-reaction to fleas, so one bite from a flea makes them very very itchy all over, so you don't see fleas on them but they are reacting) 3. Flea infestation 4. Intestinal worms (lead to diarrhea and itchy bum) 5. Other possible causes exist as well. I recommend that you have him assessed by a vet to check his anal glands and check him for fleas. Also, if he is dewormed then a fecal test might be recommended, and if he isn't then a broad spectrum dewormer might be recommended. Best of luck with Jagger! I hope he feels better soon!

Full or impacted anal glands are one possibility, especially if she is scooting her back end on the floor. Your veterinarian or groomer can express (empty) them if necessary. Other causes would be allergies, parasites or discomfort around the area. Ideally, Ruby should be seen by your veterinarian to diagnose and address the underlying cause. Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent excessive licking until she sees the doctor.

Livi could be suffering from skin allergy or it could be that her anal glands are full and annoying her. I would visit the vet and have them check her glands, they can be expressed if full. Whilst there the vet can examine her skin for any signs of a problem.

Paddy could be dealing with a neurological problem, pain, a behavioural issue, or an infectious, endocrine or autoimmune disease that could be causing the spinning. I recommend you make an appointment to have him seen by a vet as soon as possible to help figure out what's going on and start treatment if necessary. Take a video of the behaviour if you can to help your vet get a better idea of what's happening, and make sure you keep Paddy away from dangers like stairs during his spinning episodes.

Oh my - it sounds as though Riley has a lot going on. It's likely that his excessive licking is associated with the hair loss that you've noticed, as licking is a sign of itchiness in dogs. I agree that his whining sounds like a sign of discomfort. This could all be associated with his other issues, or due to other skin conditions, like mange, ringworm, or allergies. Vomiting, diarrhea, weight gain, and excessive urination could be due to a number of different health conditions. Some of these possibilities include gastrointestinal viruses, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease, liver disease, endocrine disorders (such as Addison's disease), or food allergies. The challenge is that all of these conditions are treated very differently, so it's important to figure out the root cause of all of Riley's issues. At this point, Riley really needs to be examined by his vet and have some diagnostic testing performed. I assume that your vet will likely recommend some baseline bloodwork to check on his organ function, as well as a fecal flotation test for parasites, and skin testing to see if any infectious conditions are present. Based on their findings, they'll be able to come up with the best course of treatment for Riley. I hope that everything goes well!