Moll has been itching a lot lately, on her back, mostly at night. She gets under the bed and gives her spine (towards her tail) a good scratch - you can tell something's bugging her (pardon the pun). She's up to date with her worm and flea stuff, but we gave her a good comb this morning to see if we could see any offending little buggers and there was nothing. Otherwise she's perfectly fit and as bouncy as ever.
Anyone got any ideas?
13 comments:
Sounds like a skin complaint. Don't leave it too long before you take her to the vet our dog soon ended up with practically no skin on the itchy part.
Has she been near foxes, or where they might have been? It could be mange, which they're well known for carrying. It's fairly easy to treat if necessary. If she's still itching tonight, I'd take the advice of the previous poster and take her down to the vet to be checked out.
Ak - thanks for that - I'm trying not to go to the vet as she gets really freaked out there, so I'm taking her up out of surgery hours every other week to get her used to it, and I don't want to undo everythign we've done over the last month. But looks like I might have to!
G, P & T - yes, she has been near where foxes have been (just about everywhere round here). She's not broken the skin at all, but something is obviously bothering her. As I said, was hoping to avoid the vet until she's more confident, but needs must. Thanks for advice.
Sure it's her back and not her bum? Could be congested anal glands - the vet gives them a good squeeze, and the room fills with the vilest pong imaginable - but very quick and easy and problem solved.
I hope it's not her anal glands - Prince was also petrified of vets, due to a rather clumsy evacuation of these glands by a clumsy vet when he was young. If you do need to take her, I hope it goes well....
What about a bath with a moisturizing shampoo like oatmeal? My dogs sometimes get dry and itchy and really seem to like the bath.
If not I'd break down and go to the vet too. One of the dogs we adopted had mange and gave it to me. It wasn't fun.
thanks, Mopsa and correspondent. She's already had her glands done last week - a recurring problem that I now know how to do (oh joys!) - I asked vet to show me so we can avoid future vet visits and my god yes it stinks!
Am going to ring vets later when they're open - she hasn't broken the skin at all but something's really bugging her poor girl.
I'd go with giving her a wash with some soothing shampoo, if she's rolled in something that's irritating her that should help! If you've got an aloe plant or some pure Aloe Vera gel you could apply it directly to her back, although you'd obviously need to wash it off after a while as with her long hair it could become a icky mess...
Or it could just be the week for female JRs called Mollie to be itchy? :D
good idea Em. I'll goand get some shampoo when it stops deluging!
My cat has a similar problem so I'll watch this space!
Yes, I understand about the vet. Belle is the same.
Should the patch she scratches become open from scratching or licking then you must go to the vet straight away. It could be something called "hot spot". Also smells awful, it is a form of weeping eczema.
Otherwise try essential oils like lavender and tea tree. In a little spray bottle dilute 10 drops of each with 100 ml of water. Shake it and spray it on the spot she is scratching. Smells good, will not do any harm and is a natural disinfectant and antiseptic. Having said that, go to the vet if it gets any worse.
thanks so much for that, ED. I've just rushed to the cupboard to get some and realised we've run out of tea tree. Will get some and try it.
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