Need some ideas to what this could be (long post but pls give ideas)

[LittleMansMomma]

For the last week or so, Little Man has been chewing/biting at the base of his tail. At first I didn't think nothing about it, just chalked it up as doggie itches. So, I bought an itch relief spray. It works for awhile and then he's at it again.

Well the last 3 days it has really bothered him. I checked for fleas around that area and all over his body not finding one flea. I don't think its scabies, I'm not broken out. (I know about scabies. My best friend got them from her pets when we were kids and she passed them to me.) He's been wormed for all kinds of worms when he got his last set of shots on 3/28/08. I then thought it could be dry skin, but its not that either. I'm hoping its not his food. It's Nutro Natural Choice Small Bites Puppy.

Anyways, I called the vet, she said it could be a number of things she said it could be a tape worm. I told her I thought it could be so I have been keeping an eye on his poop but I found nothing in there just poop. She said his anal glands may need to be expressed. She told me to bring him in this morning because they were dead and she could get him in as soon as I got there. I did which his vet is 20 mins from me and when I got there they busy as all get out. She got me back there and express his glands. She did say they were full. And she went off to another patient. After I paid my bill, I finally got to see her off to the side and asked what happens if he starts chewing/biting that area again. She said to give him a full dropper of childrens benadryl and that he would be ok.

Guess what he started doing again tonight...yep chewing/biting that area again I didn't give it to him at that time but redirected his attention to his toys. About 30 mins into playing, he starts it again. This time he is chewing/biting furiously. I did give him some benadryl but not the amount she told me too. My dropper is 1tsp and I thought that was to much for him. He weighs around 8lbs give or take a few ounces. So I gave him about 1/4 tsp. It didn't take long to knock him out. If I would have gave him the full dropper like she said, I think he would be out for at least a day! He's just so miserable with area. I just feel so helpless! I don't know what to do or even what it is that is making him that miserable.

He's lost 5 baby teeth and he's got 2 more really loose that is just barely hanging in. Could that make him itchy? I don't know what it is, that's why I need ideas to what it could be. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance! Sorry its a long post!

[Tiggerwit]

Not really sure. Maybe give him a good bath and clean it real good.

Alphy has started chewing today too. Murphy does but he also walks funny, his butt end kinda starts to pass him by. Vet said maybe fleas or glands, she expressed them and I can't believe they'd be full again.

I hope you figure it out so it gives me some idea.

[Wylie's Mom]

Poor baby, sounds miserable. I don't know if I'd be too pleased with the amount of "diagnosis" your vet gave. One thing you can do is get some diaper rash cream, hydrocortison cream, or antiobiotic cream w/ hydorcort and use it on the area - it will help with both inflammation AND the itchy symptoms. Probably best to rub it in GOOD when you're not going to be with him. Other times, you could rub on a bit more, give him a chew to distract him and then watch him so he doesn't get after the area.

If it doesn't get better though, I'd get another opinion....

[loveyorks]

Sorry I don't have any constructive advise to give you, my Choupette does chew one of her front paws, forever and ever, unless I hold her paw for a few minutes, she'll calm down for a bit and then sh'ell start the chewing and licking again. The vet told me it was compulsive disorder and she might do it out of nervousness and anxiety. Nothing was given for it. So now when I see this licking and chewing going on, I'll pick her up and hide her paw until she calms down again,

[autumn star]

I would try giving him a bath and seeing if that helps at all!
Did the vet mention anything about Hotspots?
We had a doberman who use to get Hotspots all the time and that is where she would get them!
Good luck and I hope you can get him comfy real soon!

[LittleMansMomma]

I'll try anything to make him comfy again and not so miserable. I had planned on giving him a bath today. No, she never said anything about hotspots.

If its not any better by tomorrow, I'm definitely going to demand that he is seen, so I can actually get the vet focused on his problem not like she was yesterday running around like she didn't know anything.

[Tiggerwit]

My golden used to get hot spots like that at the top of her tail. I think she had reactions to flea bites. I would never see the fleas but once I treated her the spots went away and she stopped biting the area.

[LittleMansMomma]

I gave Little Man his bath earlier and put some hydrocortisone cream it seems to be helping he hasn't chewed/bit the area. He's actually resting peacefully! Thanks!

But I feel like that is just a temporary fix. I still want to know why he is doing that. I may go ahead and take him to vet tomorrow. And have them to do a thorough check up and an allergy test.