Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum
The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.

Dog won't stop chewing its legs

KlorgnumKlorgnum Registered User regular
edited June 2011 in Help / Advice Forum
My dog has been chewing on her back legs almost since we got her (8 years ago), but she's gotten extremely bad over the past few months, to the point of regularly drawing blood. Is there any way to get her to stop? When she first started chewing after we got her, we tried some sort of chemical spray the vet gave us, but it didn't seem to have any effect. Help?

Klorgnum on

Posts

  • Gnome-InterruptusGnome-Interruptus Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I know one of my previous dogs would have similar behaviour when she had an allergic reaction to something that made her skin itchy.

    I would look into seeing if its something thats been introduced that is making the problem worse, could be the shampoo you use for cleaning her, or her food etc.

    Gnome-Interruptus on
    steam_sig.png
    MWO: Adamski
  • ceresceres When the last moon is cast over the last star of morning And the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderator Mod Emeritus
    edited March 2010
    My dog did this is as well, and it got much worse as she got older. She was a Doberman, and our vet told us that it's a pretty common tick in Dobermans, a nervous system issue or a compulsion. There was absolutely nothing we could do about it, and we tried EVERYTHING. She lived to be about 12 or 13 (very old for that breed) but in her last three years she chewed her legs to bits.

    So depending on the breed you have, for some dogs it's like biting your nails to the skin or any other nervous habit. There's nothing we didn't try to make it go away, because she was hurting herself... but nothing worked though.

    I miss her. :(

    ceres on
    And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
  • ScalfinScalfin __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2010
    There's always the cone of shame.We used it on my dog when he wouldn't stop licking his paw. We had to take it off almost instantly, though, as he seemed to think that the weight of the cone meant we'd tied him to the ground. He's an odd one.

    Scalfin on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Cardboard Tube wrote: »
    The rest of you, I fucking hate you for the fact that I now have a blue dot on this god awful thread.
  • UsagiUsagi Nah Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    It may be an anxiety reaction, my mom's cat did this during and after a kidney/bladder infection and it took the cone of shame and a couple weeks of kitty prozac to get her to stop.

    Usagi on
  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I second the cone.

    JebusUD on
    and I wonder about my neighbors even though I don't have them
    but they're listening to every word I say
  • Raif SeveranceRaif Severance Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Scalfin wrote: »
    There's always the cone of shame.We used it on my dog when he wouldn't stop licking his paw. We had to take it off almost instantly, though, as he seemed to think that the weight of the cone meant we'd tied him to the ground. He's an odd one.

    Remove the Cone of Shame! Attach the Cone of TRIUMPH!

    Sounds like an allergy to me. Have you been using the same food consistently since you've had the dog?

    Raif Severance on
  • KlorgnumKlorgnum Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Raif Severance wrote: »
    Scalfin wrote: »
    There's always the cone of shame.We used it on my dog when he wouldn't stop licking his paw. We had to take it off almost instantly, though, as he seemed to think that the weight of the cone meant we'd tied him to the ground. He's an odd one.

    Remove the Cone of Shame! Attach the Cone of TRIUMPH!

    Sounds like an allergy to me. Have you been using the same food consistently since you've had the dog?

    No, she gets a pretty wide variety of stuff. The chewing's been going on so long now that I really doubt it's an allergic reaction or a skin problem. It's probably a nervous habit.

    I'm hesitant about the cone of shame, I don't think she'd take to it very well.

    Klorgnum on
  • CooterTKECooterTKE Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    buy some liquid benedryl and start by giving the dog 5-10 mil at a time to see if it helps. Try not to give more then 25-30 mils in a day. This is what we have to do with our dog.

    CooterTKE on
  • starmanbrandstarmanbrand Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    My ex girlfriends dog would do this. Turns out she was allergic to damn near everything. What really set her legs off, though, was grass. So don't count out allergies because it has been going on for so long.

    starmanbrand on
    camo_sig2.png
  • 28682868 Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    It is called lick dermatitis. the best way to combat it is to extend exercise times and further engage the dog in pack behaviour. Just double your efforts to make the animal part of the family, or pack, walk with it more than you do, play fetch more often, etc. Basically distract the dog by showing that it is needed.

    coning won't work.

    2868 on
    Warhams. Allatime warhams.

    buy warhams
  • SkimblecatSkimblecat Victoria BCRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    If it is an allergy, benedryl may not help. My dog has some sort of seasonal allergy, and it turns out that the itchy skin is not a histamine reaction - so benedryl won't help. My vet (and teh googles seem to agree) recommended an omega fatty acid supplement can help. About 3 days after starting the salmon oil my dog is scratching and chewing a lot less.

    Skimblecat on
    Enforcer
    PAX Prime Security Team Lead
    PAX Dev Security Manager
  • NappuccinoNappuccino Surveyor of Things and Stuff Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    My cat had a similar issue- we initially thought it was just the heat (she seemed to be focusing on her fur) but we brought her in to the vet not long after and he gave her some allergy medicine and she stopped almost instantly.

    I suggest seeing if that is the dogs issue.

    Nappuccino on
    Like to write? Want to get e-published? Give us a look-see at http://wednesdaynightwrites.com/
    Rorus Raz wrote: »
    There's also the possibility you just can't really grow a bear like other guys.

    Angel_of_Bacon wrote: »
    Not even BEAR vaginas can defeat me!
    cakemikz wrote: »
    And then I rub actual cake on myself.
    Loomdun wrote: »
    thats why you have chest helmets
  • Magus`Magus` The fun has been DOUBLED! Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Could you just bandage the legs with guaze every day or so?

    Magus` on
    vfIZjgX.jpg
    Steam Profile | Signature art by Alexandra 'Lexxy' Douglass
  • TrillianTrillian Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Klorgnum wrote: »
    Raif Severance wrote: »
    Scalfin wrote: »
    There's always the cone of shame.We used it on my dog when he wouldn't stop licking his paw. We had to take it off almost instantly, though, as he seemed to think that the weight of the cone meant we'd tied him to the ground. He's an odd one.

    Remove the Cone of Shame! Attach the Cone of TRIUMPH!

    Sounds like an allergy to me. Have you been using the same food consistently since you've had the dog?

    No, she gets a pretty wide variety of stuff. The chewing's been going on so long now that I really doubt it's an allergic reaction or a skin problem. It's probably a nervous habit.

    I'm hesitant about the cone of shame, I don't think she'd take to it very well.

    Could still be an allergy.
    Could be a nervous compulsion started by an allergy, which progressed into a neurotic obsession.
    Could be a staph infection.
    But only a VETERINARIAN WHO LOOKS AT IT can say.

    Trillian on

    They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
  • 28682868 Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I was serious Acral Lick Dermatitis

    2868 on
    Warhams. Allatime warhams.

    buy warhams
  • KistraKistra Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Basically: allergies, anxiety, or OCD.

    A good vet will help you out with all of them. Unfortunately, if it has been going on for 8 years it is going to be a hard habit to break no matter what the underlying cause. Will you dog fit into kid's footie pajamas?

    Kistra on
    Animal Crossing: City Folk Lissa in Filmore 3179-9580-0076
  • TrillianTrillian Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    2868 wrote: »
    I was serious Acral Lick Dermatitis

    Yes, but instead of playing webVMD on an internet forum he should take the dog into a vet to be looked at and treated appropriately.

    Trillian on

    They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
  • DoctorArchDoctorArch Curmudgeon Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I love that is now forever known as "the cone of shame."

    DoctorArch on
    Switch Friend Code: SW-6732-9515-9697
  • MsJongg SeattleMsJongg Seattle Registered User new member
    edited June 2011
    Magus` wrote: »
    Could you just bandage the legs with guaze every day or so?
    You should be very careful when bandaging your dog's leg. Our dog ate the pad, gauze and outer wrap bandage. It required immediate surgery to remove it all as it will block their small intestines and they will die.
    We have spent over $8K so far on this 13 year old dog. It all started with a few hot spots that he was licking. 8-)

    MsJongg Seattle on
Sign In or Register to comment.
Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum