Puppy biting and scratching abdomen after grooming. What to do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At least on this picture this looks very superficial and it is very likely that it will resolve on its own as long as the area is kept nice and clean. If you have noticed Dexter licking at it, an e-collar to prevent that would be ideal. Otherwise, this should continue getting better. If no major improvement in the next week or so, have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment which may include antibiotics. Good luck and have a great day!

I don't know why your dog is acting this way. If she is biting her back she may have an injury or irritation from the grooming that is causing her trouble. I suggest you get her to your vet for an exam as this is not normal behavior for her. The only way to stop the biting is to get her an E-collar (cone) or put a small T-shirt on her to cover the area on her back that is bothering her. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-ecollars?ddkey=https%3ASearchDisplay ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

You’re right that it can be hard to tell if the cuts came first or after the licking started. It’s possible that the skin was irritated (we call it clipper burn) after grooming, and since dogs lick areas that are uncomfortable, it makes the whole situation worse. The best thing to do is to prevent Pepper from licking anymore. He can wear an e-collar/come for a few days. If the skin isn’t looking better 24 hours after wearing the cone, it may need medications so Pepper should get checked out by his vet.

Bo may need to be on antibiotics in addition to the steroids to help clear up any skin infection present. The skin infection causes them to itch as well. You may also want to try a medicated shampoo 2-3 times a week to help the skin heal up faster as well. You could also try using an E-collar (cone) to prevent Bo from chewing and placing a tee shirt around his body to prevent damage from scratching. The tee shirt should be light and loose enough to prevent trapping moisture like you vet was concerned about.

For whatever reason puppies just tend to be itchier and scratch more often than adult dogs. If his skin looks 100% normal where he's been itchy it may not be anything to be concerned about. If you notice him scratching his ears, if there are red spots or hair loss on his belly, or if he seems so itchy that he isn't comfortable you may want to see your vet for an exam.

The first thing you need to do is get an e-collar for Buster so he cannot pick on the cuts. You can put some neosporine on the cuts once a day and the should be healing soon. If these cuts do not heal within a week they will need to be seen by a veterinarian.

You will need to place an e-collar (cone) on Queen to prevent biting or chewing. A small tee shirt or booties can be used to prevent scratching or pawing. You may need to use these items until the fur grows back.