Dog has been biting herself in one patch, open wound, what best to do?

[BitOfFun]

It's near her tail, at the top, and she is missing some hair there so I can see a small cut, presumably self inficted, as I've noticed her worrying at that area for a couple of nights.

I am a bit skint this month, so if I can avoid the vet I'd like to. What should I do, if anything?

She has been clipped and groomed about two weeks ago, so if there were fleas etc I'm sure the groomers would have noticed.

Hopefully someone has some advice? Thanks.

You need to get it looked at by your vet really. There can be several underlying health problems which cause this but it can also become a habit, and hard to break. If it gets infected it will be much more difficult to treat.

Agree on going to the vet. My springer did this with a cut, then the surrounding area got infected which was much worse than the original cut. Took about 4 weeks to heal with cream and anti-biotics.

To stop her biting herself can you make a 'Buster' collar type thing - like an upturned large yoghurt pot. My dog was scratchimg himself on his cheek so much he caused an open wound and I found several ideas of how to make this sort of collar on the net. My dog wouldn't tolerate any of them so in the end I used an old neck brace thing of mine which he found more acceptable and did the job.

It could just be the heat making her itchy if you can't see any other obvious causes. I've taken my dog to the vets umpteen times about his itching and the latest theory is that it could be a food allergy as apparently that is what causes itching { with no obvious skin /health problems causing it}in the vast majority of cases.

If the wound is only small I would bathe it in some warm water with a bit of salt in it, try and stop her worrying it and see how she goes over the weekend.

Thanks for the advice, I rang the vet and they said they needed to see her to advise really, so I think I'll call them back after seeing your replies and book her in for the morning. Thanks for the help

Good luck BOF. Generalised itching can be difficult to pin down but itching in this specific area is usually much easier to find a solution to.

Let us know how you get on

Pepper just got back from the vets- she has been given two kinds of antibiotics, and he reckoned she didn't have fleas, but more than likely had been scratched by bushes/brambles (as a terrier she does tend to disappear into undergrowth at every opportunity) and has done the rest herself by biting at it...I had noticed her gnawing on it a couple of nights this week, so she has made a cut worse by the look of things.

Thanks for you help yesterday - I'm glad I put my skinflint tendencies aside on your advice

Aww- get well soon, Pepper x

IMO and IMe, it's fleas, anal glands or worms.
if it is in a triablge shape over the rump then it is fleas.. deffo.

alot of dogs with those scabby sore traingles look just like the tect book i have- i sometimes bring it out and show clients- it is so specific for fleas..

oh, missed the post where the vet saw him.
hope it all sorts out.

You missed out on the £1 each way on anal glands, oops