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My dog keeps biting her leg until it bleeds. Why and what to do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed

My dog is biting her back leg and making it bleed what is the cause and treatment for this

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on September 17th, 2016

The most likely cause would be a skin condition of some kind, causing her to be itchy - some common possibilities would include allergies, fleas, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Treatment will depend on what the cause is, so I would recommend having her examined by a vet - he/she can do a simple test called a skin scrape if needed to help diagnose the problem. In the meantime, I would suggest getting her an e-collar (plastic cone) to keep her from continuing to chew at her leg and make things worse until you can get her in to see a vet.

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