I’m being driven crazy by an agonizing itch all round the base of my tail, extending up my back. I can’t stop biting around the area so now it’s become very nasty to look at, and my owners are worried. (Winston, 5 years, Corgi/Kelpie cross, Narooma on the flat)
Dr Alan
Sounds to me like fleabite dermatitis. This is an allergic response to the saliva of fleas. The bite of just one flea can set off the allergic reaction! Where you live on the flat, fleas are very prevalent making flea control difficult. To control your problem your owners need to use a multi-pronged attack. This would include a focus on your bedding, areas throughout and around the house. Fleas particularly thrive under the house and in the sandy soil. Your skin is probably infected so you need to have a course of antibiotics and anti inflammatory drugs as soon as possible, followed by rigorously applied flea control products for you. There are numerous options including collars and topically applied products, etc. Experimentation in your environment to find the best combination of products that suit your needs will be required. Good luck Winston!!
This is very hard to talk about, but I have this constant irritation around my rear end. It is driving me crazy. No amount of scooting along the carpet or lawn relieves it. My humans keep giving me worm tablets and flea remedies. These don’t help at all, and they all seem to be getting pretty “pissed off” with me. Do you have any ideas? (Bernie, Maltese Terrier, 6 years, Central Tilba)
Dr Alan
Bernie, you have two scent glands, one on either side of your anus that are supposed to squirt a small amount of your unique scent onto your droppings when you do a number two! This is how other dogs know you were there and why other dogs are always sniffing your rear when they approach you. When the ducts emptying the scent material get clogged, pressure builds up in the glands and it hurts like hemorrhoids. You and I know your scooting is an attempt to open the ducts and relieve the pressure. If the glands are not emptied they can become infected and filled with puss. If not treated, the glands can fistulate (rupture through the skin) and drain. It isn’t very pleasant to have your anal glands emptied when they are infected but it needs to be done by your vet. Also some medication is required to reduce the inflammation and help with the infection. In severe cases, surgery may be required to remove the scent glands once and for all. Your owners need to know that dogs don’t have worms that cause itchy bottoms. Kids and horses have those worms.
Something is tickling the inside of my ear like mad. I can’t stop scratching and shaking my head. Whatever is in there, it doesn’t want to budge. My owners keep putting messy gunk down my ears, which is no help at all. What do you suggest? (Teddy, grey domestic short hair, 6 months, Narooma)
Dr Alan
Best guess Teddy, is that ear mites are the cause of your problem. These tiny critters are about the size of a grain of salt and they set up house in ear canals. In severe cases it is essential for the ear canals to be thoroughly cleaned and then various medications are used to get rid of the mites. One of the topical flea prevention treatments can be used in less severe cases. One secret, when you are curled up and your nose is near your tail, some mites can crawl out and establish themselves on the fur above your tail. A little flea powder applied to that fur will eliminate those mites so they won’t re-infect your ears after your ears are treated when you are curled up at night.
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