Why is my dog chewing a bald spot after grooming? Is it allergies?

Question

I had my 3-year-old, 14 pound, Pom mix, groomed on April 7th. He had chewed on himself quite a bit since. I see no fleas and he is not red from chewing in any area of his body. This morning, I just found that he has chewed a bald spot that I hadn't noticed. It is not red or raw, just his hair is gone. Can you please help me? Julie McKee. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | neutered | 2 years and 11 months old | 14 lbs

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

Hi Julie! Poor Perry - he certainly did remove a good bit of hair from that area. Since all of this chewing and itching started after his grooming, I have to wonder if he isn't allergic to the shampoo or other grooming products that were used. Some dogs can also develop a folliculitis, or inflammation at the hair follicle, after grooming, but this typically causes some redness on the skin. It's also possible that the timing is coincidental and that this problem is associated with underlying allergies or other medical conditions. As a starting point, try to give Perry a bath with a gentle hypoallergenic oatmeal shampoo or baby shampoo to try to remove any residue that may remain from the other products. If he's still licking and chewing a few days after the bath, it would be best to have him evaluated by his vet. The vet will be able to examine his skin, perform any necessary testing, and may need to prescribe some topical or oral medication to help manage his itching/chewing. Even though this doesn't sound like a classic flea problem (and you aren't seeing fleas), it's still important to keep Perry on flea prevention consistently to be sure that fleas aren't contributing to the problem. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Why is my dog chewing a bald spot after grooming? Is it allergies?

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