Why is my dog licking and scratching her tail? Should I see a vet?

Question

My dog has been licking and scratching the same spot around her tail along with a slight change in appetite. I was hoping to know possible problems she could be having and if I should take her in to see her regular vet. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 11 lbs

Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH · Accepted Answer

There are a number of reasons for skin problems in dogs. This article does an excellent job of describing them. You could be dealing with allergies (of various types), external parasites (such as fleas or mites), or secondary infections (bacterial or yeast). https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-is-my-dog-so-itchy/ This is also an excellent article on itching in dogs and the possible causes and treatments. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2604 Often the first step is making sure there isn’t any evidence of external parasites that need to be treated. The location that Gizmo is chewing is most commonly associated with a flea dermatitis or a flea allergy. You may still be dealing with a flea allergy even if you have treated the fleas and have not seen any. Once a flea bites a flea allergy dog, that dog can stay itchy for a week. Here is additional information on fleas causing itching in dogs. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2455 I would recommend having your veterinarian evaluate Gizmo to discuss your diagnostic and treatment options. They can do some simple skin tests to evaluate for secondary infections that you will need to resolve to control her itching. This can involve topical treatments (like shampoos, wipes or sprays) or may involve oral medications. You can then discuss medication for the itching (which may be prescription or over the counter medication). There are a number of good treatment options for itching, but sometimes it takes a little while to find the right combination for your dog. Please let me know if that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Why is my dog licking and scratching her tail? Should I see a vet?

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