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- My dog bites himself until he bleeds: causes
- Dog biting itself for dry skin
- dog biting in pain
- Dog biting from itching (itching)
- Dog biting itself for behavior problems
- My dog bites himself until he bleeds: solutions
Puppies have many quirks of the species, but at certain times, normal behavior can become a problem or represent a disease. Many pet owners have already witnessed their pet licking, scratching or biting in various areas of the body.
The act of incessantly chewing or biting the paws or other parts of the body causing licking or biting dermatitis has many causes, which can result in behavioral problems, skin diseases, allergies or other causes.
If your dog exhibits this type of behavior, continue reading this PeritoAnimal article to learn more about the causes and solutions of why "minedog bites until it bleeds"
My dog bites himself until he bleeds: causes
The causes of dog biting are numerous and an essential part of the diagnosis is to distinguish whether it is an illness or a behavioral problem. It is usually diagnosed a behavioral cause when all other pathologies have been ruled out.
An animal with this problem starts a vicious cycle of biting, as it bites or licks because something bothers it, the injury it causes to itself gets worse and bothers it even more, causing it to bite more, causing self trauma. In the worst situations, it can create secondary bacterial infections (superficial or deep pyodermatitis) and darken and harden the skin.
if you want to know why the dog licks itself so much or what does it mean when dog bites itself intensely, we'll give you some of the causes for dog scratching and dog biting himself:
Dog biting itself for dry skin
Dry or dehydrated skin can make the animal feel uncomfortable, causing it to scratch and bite.
dog biting in pain
Dog pain can be derived from a trauma such as an insect bite, cut, wound, very long nails or fracture. Furthermore, pain, bone or joint problems they can also be the cause of the dog biting the paw.
Dog biting from itching (itching)
Itching in the dog, in addition to being very uncomfortable for the animal, can endanger the physical and mental health of the furry. can be caused by a flea or tick infestation, other insect bites, dermatological diseases such as scabies, dermatophytosis/dermatomycosis or allergy food, environmental or by contact with a chemical/toxic product.
Many dogs develop the call DAPP (flea bite allergic dermatitis) in which they have an allergic reaction to the components of the flea's saliva when it bites. It usually manifests in dogs in the form of intense itching, in which the dog bites and rubs itself on the floor from so much discomfort. Skin lesions appear more in the lumbar region and base of the tail, reaching the abdomen and thighs, in which the skin is red, hairless and crusted. The sting by other insects, such as bees or melgas, is usually a localized allergic reaction at the site of the bite.
At food or environmental allergies (atopy) involve the immune system causing dermatological and gastrointestinal manifestations. While food allergy is not seasonal and the frequency of signs is related to the frequency of contact with the food allergen, atopy is seasonal and usually intensifies in spring and summer. The most affected regions of the dog's body are the ears, face, lower back, armpits, groin and limbs. As for cats, the lesions are more concentrated in the head and face region. If you suspect this problem, be aware of the existence of bilateral otitis, seborrhea (skin peeling), alopecia (hair loss), papules, pustules, erythema, ulcers or abrasions.
THE atopic dermatitis it is usually caused by pollen, fungi and mites. It appears in puppies from one to three years of age, when they are still young. Dermatological diseases caused by mites or fungi originate in alopecic (hairless) regions and may or may not cause itching. The veterinarian must rule out these dermatological causes through cytology or skin scrapings or specific tests for fungi.
Dog biting itself for behavior problems
- Anxiety, stress, fear or boredom are common sensations and situations in humans and animals alike. An animal can suffer from insomnia, biting its nails from stress, licking, biting or even severely self-traumatized.
- These situations usually arise from traumatic, repetitive experiences that have caused tension in the animal or the result of boredom.
- Regardless of the situation, the animal ends up releasing the accumulated tension on objects around it or on itself.
- An animal that is very dependent on its owner may suffer from separation anxiety (when tutor is absent), it can destroy the whole house until its return, or it can start progressively scratching, licking and finally biting itself intensely.
- An animal with poor environmental enrichment, cognitive and social stimuli, is bored. Throughout his day he is unable to burn energy or mental stimulation, this makes him direct this energy to his paws.
- A traumatic situation, of mistreatment or something that caused fear to the animal, it can have short- and long-term consequences, and it can also cause a dog to bite itself, injure itself or even bleed.
- if you ask yourself because dog bites the owner's foot, the answer is not one. It could be to get his attention, to joke, to act aggressively or to try to show you that he is not well. Here the role of the tutor is very important, because he must know what the dog is feeling.
My dog bites himself until he bleeds: solutions
First and foremost, it is essential to eliminate all the pathological causes that could cause a dog to bite itself until it bleeds. If it is something related to pain, it should be eliminated and the cause treated, whatever the source. The itching must be controlled so that the animal does not have discomfort in its day-to-day. And if it is of allergic origin, you should find out which allergen is in question and try to reduce contact with it, whether food or environmental.
Some things you can do at home are:
- Eliminate house and dog parasites (regular deworming);
- Put an Elizabethan collar to prevent your nails, teeth or tongue from reaching the feet or other parts of the body;
- If the animal spends a lot of time alone at home, it must leave interactive toys, for example, those that put grains of food inside and the dog must find out how to remove it, such as the kong.
- When you get home, take a long walk or jog so that he gets tired and sleeps better;
- In case of suspected food origin, you can follow the so-called white diet, which consists of providing only boiled rice and chicken (no spices or bones) for a set number of days to rule out allergic allergies;
- Improve nutrition. Inadequate or nutritionally poor diet leads to the dog's daily energy needs not being met and this causes anxiety;
- If you notice when the dog is scratching or biting, you should try to deflect his behavior by distracting him with a toy or game he likes.
To find out how to make a kong for your dog, check out our YouTube video:
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.