# Biting her self to the point of bald spots



## campbellfam07 (Feb 22, 2013)

Luna is almost 6 months old. She has started biting herself. She bites all day and now she is full of bald spots. I bath her around every two weeks with medicated shampoo and have used this since she was 12 weeks old so I know it is not the shampoo. What can I do to help her itching? Also will I know when she changes coat? As soon as I brush her she gets more matted fur. Is this a sign that it is beginning to change?


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

I would get her checked by a vet.


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## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

She needs to go to the vet soon. There could be a number of things causing it, fleas, mites, allergies, mange, etc. Also, the shampoo you are using could be bothering her. If you are going to be bathing a dog more than once a month, esp a puppy bc they have sensitive skin, only use high grade and premium shampoos and grooming products. You could also unknowingly be bathing her with tangles, which only get worse from the bath and snowball if not taken care of. Mats are uncomfortable and itchy, and a scratching dog makes the mat a lot worse. The matting could be related to the skin. If there are oozing sores, that will cause mats. 

Whatever it is it sounds like she is in discomfort, and a vet trip is in order at least to rule out the more serious conditions. You may also have to shave her if the mats are out of control. Or if you need to apply an ointment all over. Let us know how it goes.


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## campbellfam07 (Feb 22, 2013)

there are no sores or redness on her skin. Her skin underneth looks normal. Her mats are tiny and brush out fairly easy. The shampoo is medicated prescription. I brush her everyday to keep her tangles in control. I guess I will be calling the vet in the morning. Thank you both.


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## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

Oh I missed the medicated shampoo part. Yes it could be something that is not visible to the naked eye.


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## My2Havs (Jun 5, 2009)

campbellfam07 said:


> Luna is almost 6 months old. She has started biting herself. She bites all day and now she is full of bald spots. I bath her around every two weeks with medicated shampoo and have used this since she was 12 weeks old so I know it is not the shampoo. What can I do to help her itching? Also will I know when she changes coat? As soon as I brush her she gets more matted fur. Is this a sign that it is beginning to change?


I'm curious as to why she has been on this medicated prescription shampoo since she was 12 weeks old? Under normal circumstance, I wouldn't think it was necessary and may be a little harsh for her skin using it all this time. Is it dry or flaky at all? Do you also use a conditioner? I agree that at this time a vet visit would be the best thing to do.
Monica, Dooley & Roxie


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## RoutineAvocado (Feb 6, 2013)

I had a similar problem with a pet rat. Turned out that he had mites, which are not generally visible to the naked eye. Treatment was very easy but required a vet visit.


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## HavGracie (Feb 27, 2012)

I just brought Gracie, our 20 month old hav, back from the vet because she's had red dots on her stomach, and I also noticed a few bald spots on her sides. The spots have gotten a bit crusty, which the vet said are pustules. He said it is a secondary infection, like a staph infection, from allergies. At this point, he's thinking it is caused by the environment. He gave her 2 weeks of an antibiotic and 3 weeks of antihistamine. Also, virbac, a medicated shampoo. If this doesn't help, he will give her cortisone. So, yes, please be sure to get your puppy to the vet!! 

BTW-- I know someone had posted a pic of a dogs belly showing some red spots and a few pustules. I was looking for it, trying to compare it to Gracie's. Does anyone remember posting a pic like that? Thanks!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Tillie had Pustules, she was tested for everything and treated for the sores (she had well over 100 of them all over her head and chest..) with antibiotics. We had her allergy tested and turned out the pustules stemmed from food alergies... this was all when she was 9 months old and she hasn't had a problem since.
I'll see if I can find the thread I originially posted...


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

think I found it ...

http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=14082&highlight=sores


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## HavGracie (Feb 27, 2012)

Quote:
Originally Posted by TilliesMom 
Hello all!
About 2 days ago I noticed an "owie" on Tillie's neck (kind of by her "voice box" area)... i thought maybe one of the cats got her in thier "play" I've been putting neosporin on it and though it isn't healed it looks much better so far. Then yesterday i found 2 more owies on the side of her neck, about 2 inches below her ear, they are about as far apart as her nails. So, I thought, maybe it's a flea bite and she scratched and scratched herself... also been cleaning the area and putting neosporin on it. THEN just now I discovered yet another area, it was all crusted over with a yellowish scabby thing, and is right in the front of her chest area. I trimed around it and the scab came off and the area under looks red, raised and scaly. What could be going on!?? I am finding a new "owie" every day!? I am a basket case, worried about her, her hair is all greasy looking from the neosporin AND I just trimmed around them so they can breath... so she is NOT looking her fuzzy best right now! LOL
Here are a couple of pics, I will TRY to put them in order.
She had her frontline plus about 3 weeks ago, a bath a week ago and spends very little time outside. She hasn't eaten anything out of the ordinary and we haven't treated our lawn, or let her on others lawns. She hasn't been itching extra either...???
A trip to the vet is in our NEAR future, but wanted to run it by you guys while we wait for our appt... anyone have any idea what could be going on with my baby!?


Tammy, I felt the exact same way, but I was putting hydrocortisone cream on her. I thought maybe it was from her heartworm meds or maybe even ringworm. I know you had Tillie tested and she ended up with extensive food allergies. I sure hope the vet is right, and it's only "pollen" type allergies. We will wait and see. Thanks again for reposting this and also the pics. It sure looks like what Gracie is dealing with right now.

Thanks again, 

Connie


I probably posted this in the wrong thread, so I am reposting it here! Sorry for any confusion!!


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## siewhwee (Sep 24, 2009)

I posted about 2 weeks ago about Ralphie having the pustules and scabs on his belly. Brought him to the vet, and she said it was a staph infection. She checked and said it was not from flea bites. I know he doesn't have fleas. I comb him every day, and don't see fleas on him. She gave him some antibiotics, and told me I could apply neosporin to the scabs. The scabs are going off. Been checking obsessively every day. He never seemed bothered them. Never scratched or chewed them. Still don't know what brought them on. Vet thinks it's allergy induced.


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## HavGracie (Feb 27, 2012)

siewhwee said:


> I posted about 2 weeks ago about Ralphie having the pustules and scabs on his belly. Brought him to the vet, and she said it was a staph infection. She checked and said it was not from flea bites. I know he doesn't have fleas. I comb him every day, and don't see fleas on him. She gave him some antibiotics, and told me I could apply neosporin to the scabs. The scabs are going off. Been checking obsessively every day. He never seemed bothered them. Never scratched or chewed them. Still don't know what brought them on. Vet thinks it's allergy induced.


Yup! My vet said the same thing-- staph infection from allergies. Gave her antibiotics and 3 weeks worth of an antihistamine. Also, told me to use a medicated shampoo today and Thursday, and hopefully she will start to feel better. He also said if I notice the red spots in the future, to bathe her with this shampoo 2 or 3 times in a week, and maybe it will clear up without needing any other medication.


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## jillnors2 (Apr 12, 2007)

Personally, I would never bathe that often. My Hav had some skin problems which went away the less I 'messed' with them.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

I know I keep pushing ACV but it also helps with skin problems. Maddies vet gave us a non soap shampoo to sooth her skin. I also never use heat with the blow dryer. I added fish oil to her food. I stopped all flea treatments. for a year and a half. I moved and they picked up fleas so I gave only a month's worth of treatment . Maddies skin got flaky and itchy again after the Advantage. We got the fleas out and now I just rinse with the ACV. So far so good no more itching.


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## HavGracie (Feb 27, 2012)

jillnors2 said:


> Personally, I would never bathe that often. My Hav had some skin problems which went away the less I 'messed' with them.


I usually wouldn't bathe Gracie that often either, but the vet recommended that she be bathed twice, a few days apart. This is to remove any allergens that may still be in her hair, while she has the staph infection. Then I can go back to my regular routine. He suggested that if she gets these red spots in the future, that turn into pustules, to bathe her with the medicated shampoo twice, a few days apart. Hopefully, then the red spots (allergies) won't require any other medication.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

HavGracie said:


> I usually wouldn't bathe Gracie that often either, but the vet recommended that she be bathed twice, a few days apart. This is to remove any allergens that may still be in her hair, while she has the staph infection. Then I can go back to my regular routine. He suggested that if she gets these red spots in the future, that turn into pustules, to bathe her with the medicated shampoo twice, a few days apart. Hopefully, then the red spots (allergies) won't require any other medication.


 Maybe you already stated that your vet did allergy testing? If not he is just guessing. Maddies vet after three skin scraping and looking under the scope for mites. Also gave the same treatments your vet is doing. And called her condition a possible seasonal allergy. He said I could go to a specialist to have her tested. A dog dermintaligest . I made the appointment but never went because she got better. I really think her skin problems were from chemicals in her system. I got her at 8 weeks and her breeder treated her for ear mites we also gave her flea treatments. And our vet I think made it worse by treating her for mites because sometimes they are hard to see under the scope. So he wanted to eliminate that as a cause first. He said food allergies are not as common and didn't want us to change her diet. Because if he did two treatments at the same time he wouldn't know what caused it. It took about two months for her skin to get better and during that time I didn't give any more flea or mite treatments. She doesn't have a seasonal allergy because it never came back for two years. Then I again gave the flea treatment only to have her skin get bad again. It wasn't nearly as bad as before. I still had the shampoo and that seemed to help. I have noticed that certain conditioners will sometimes cause both Zoey and Maddie to itch for a few days. I try to really rinse them good so I have no idea why.


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## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

Suzi said:


> I know I keep pushing ACV but it also helps with skin problems. Maddies vet gave us a non soap shampoo to sooth her skin. I also never use heat with the blow dryer. I added fish oil to her food. I stopped all flea treatments. for a year and a half. I moved and they picked up fleas so I gave only a month's worth of treatment . Maddies skin got flaky and itchy again after the Advantage. We got the fleas out and now I just rinse with the ACV. So far so good no more itching.


Suzi, when you rinse with ACV, do you dilute it and if so what's the ratio? Also, do you leave it on your dogs or rinse it out completely?


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## jillnors2 (Apr 12, 2007)

Did your pup have shots recently? And what are you feeding?


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