Itchy Butt

Chloe woke up this morning at 5:15 AM and was super whiny and active. This is a lot different than her normal behavior: she usually wakes up at around 7:30 AM and hangs out in her crate quietly until 8:15 AM or so when I get up and take her out to the bathroom.

I took her outside to use the bathroom, and she seemed more interested in biting her butt and licking her crotch than using the bathroom. (When I say butt, I mean a spot on her back about an inch or so from her tail stub. It's on her rear, but it's probably 1.5" - 2" from her butthole.) She went #1, after a few minutes, when she normally goes as soon as her feet are on the ground in the morning.

I put her back in the crate, but she kept whining. She was biting the same area, and whining every so often as she did it. She also kept licking her crotch.

She kept this up until I gave her a rawhide bone. She's now chewing that enthusiastically.

She's 15 weeks old, which from what I understand is around the teething stage for most pups, but I'm not sure if that has anything to do with her biting her butt.

I checked the area she was biting for fleas, ticks, scabs, and I don't see anything. We applied First Shield Trio to her coat 2.5 weeks ago, and she's had one bath since.

I'd love to get some ideas on what would cause her to bite her rear like that and lick her crotch so much. Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on July 6, 2012 at 7:26am

Hi Jason, when you use your fingers to spread / check her fur, how was her skin appeared?

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Permalink Reply by Jason on July 6, 2012 at 10:29am

Hey Sam,

The skin appears normal -- it doesn't look any different than anywhere else on her body.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on July 6, 2012 at 8:33am

How long has it been and how often has she been wormed? That was my 1st thought when you said she was biting her rear.

May not have anything to do with worms but I would make sure she has had enough doses.

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Permalink Reply by Jason on July 6, 2012 at 10:58pm

She was wormed about three weeks ago, so my guess is that's not it.

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Permalink Reply by Lemmy Winks on July 6, 2012 at 11:33am

Allergies maybe?? Did you bring anything new into the house? Start washing sheets with a new soap?
Check for mites, poop for worms. Fleas will go to bums because of moisture.... I would go to the vet personally, but vets are expensive.
Best of luck!

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Permalink Reply by Jason on July 6, 2012 at 10:59pm

I'm going to be at the vet on Sunday, so I'll mention it and see what they say.

I can't think of anything new that we've started using at our place.

I'll keep an eye out for mites and worms.

Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Jason on July 6, 2012 at 11:01pm

Well, it's the end of the day, and after the initial biting, she bit it only one - three times after that. I'm wondering if she just woke up with a lot of energy and had some teething pain, and that was her only way to get relief.