Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Itchy on back.

Species: Dog
Breed: Boston terrier
Age: 8-11 years
max is a 11yo. Boston terrier about 18pounds. He is in perfect health, according to his vet. He has a skin problem on lower back. It seem to itch and he has scratched off his hair from his but up about 6 inches. He's had steroids and cortizone and lotions etc my vet is stumped........do you have any idea? He just seems so uncomfortable.
Thanks,
Mark


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

These are always frustrating problems, especially if your vet is stumped!

It's hard for me to add much without seeing Max, but I'll see if I can help out at all.

The first thing I would do if this were my case is to put him on a good prescription strength flea product even if I don't see fleas there. Some dogs are so allergic to fleas that even one bite will set them off with severe itchiness, especially in the area you have described.

I would probably also treat him with antibiotics for 4-8 weeks in case of infection.

If steroids have made no difference then I would consider doing a skin scraping to look for mange. Sarcoptic mange often will not respond to steroids and still be itchy.

If these things are not working then the next step is to have your vet take a biopsy of the area. It may seem a little pricey, but it will be the most accurate way to figure out what is going on.

Hope this helps!

Dr. Marie

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Paying for megacolon surgery. hello my cat has mega-colon my question is do you know of any place that might be... (11848 views)

Older dog having seizures. My 10.5 year old chocolate lab had three seizures in 12 hours in October. He's... (19214 views)

Itchy feet and nose. Hi, my dog started about 3 days ago with very itchy paws to the point that they are... (9744 views)

Swollen face after tooth removal. Two months ago, Chuck (our elderly dog who's become more and more aggressive when... (32111 views)

Vomiting all food. My mom's adopted shelter cat, Luci, has a strange problem. It used to be nearly... (9522 views)

Bassett hound neck pain, etc. Our dog Lola came to us as a stray about 3 yrs ago. She is about 7 years old and... (15983 views)

Licking his penis. my indoor cat is constantly going to his litter box about every 10 mins or so and... (13316 views)

Where is dog's vulva? My husband resqued a blue tick in the National Forest that was being chased by 2... (62645 views)

Is rescue cat in pain? Hello I took in a stray female cat about 10 days ago. HER behaviour is odd. She... (11548 views)

Diarrhea and vomiting. My cat has had a problem with gassy diarrhea and vomiting over the past 3 weeks. My... (11928 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.