Hi

as the subject says two of my three dogs are really biting at their rear ends sort of on the hips near their tail - I have checked for fleas and can see no fleas and no flea dirt.  They arent scratching anywhere else.  I have frontlined them.

The only thing that I can think of is that at the caravan last weekend I put their exercise pen on the grass in the shade but later when i moved it noticed there was an ants nest.

Do you think they could have ant bites?  Is there anything I could use to relieve the apparent itching.

I have just bought some tea tree shampoo so will bath them with this - this afternoon but if there is any other recommendation I would be grateful to hear.

thanks

Maxine

I think tea tree shampoo is a good start.  My money would be on harvest mites in which case tea tree is definately not their cup of tea :-)

Have they had their anal glands drained?, this could be part of your problem

do you mean a problem if they havent had them drained or if they have?

If they haven't had them drained. if mine need their anal glands drained they swing their head towards the area of their rear end and i drain their anal glands myself and after they are a lot better but for someone who doesn't know what to do i recommend that they go to the vets.

well 2 out of 3 done - tea tree bathed and the one so far that was biting at his rear end has had his anal glands drained.  The other one had nothing to drain.  A five minute break and on to number 3 dog!!

That sounds like a pleasant afternoon, Maxine :-)

Just what I had hoped for Isabel  :)

all three done now - yes the two that had the problem did need draining so we'll see now if that stops them!!  still they all smell of lovely peach cologne now and all look beautiful ready to go on holiday on saturday  :)

Ahh Bless :-)

My youngest has to have his anal glands emptied and we were told once they have it once they are likely to continue to need it doing...its horrible isn't it!

Not the nicest thing to have do !

The only thing is I'm not 100% sure they havent stopped gnashing at themselves.  They each did it once last night after their grooming session so I'm waiting to see how they go today.

 

nope hasnt solved it - back to the drawing board..

Is the gnawing still as bad?

no - nowhere near as bad but not stopped...

The one I have that has to have his glands emptied still gnaws for a couple of days after having them emptied. Maybe give it a couple of days then take them to the vets if they haven't stopped? (unless they are in obvious distress) :-)

ok thanks I will do - thats useful to know,

There is also a sort of itch, scratch syndrome where it becomes a habit to scratch even when the cause of the itch has been removed. So it could be that now the cause has been removed, if it has, the response will dye out over a short period. If not there are drugs that can be given short term to try to break the habit.