Dog scratching neck.

salamanca22 · 05-09-2014 9:35am #1

Hello,

Looking for a bit of advice here as I am on a tight shoestring student budget and really cannot afford the vet right now as much as I would love to take her there!

The problem is my 5 year old labrador has recently started scratching her neck to the point where she is now bald around the areas she is scratching. It happened very suddenly. Like in the space of a week. I don't think it's fleas as I have treated her very recently and she is not scratching or biting anywhere else.

Can anyone give me some advice please on what you think it might be and if there is any over the counter medicines or ointments I could give her?

Again I know the best action would be the vet and if it comes down to it and the only thing for it is the vet I will of course bring her but if there was something I could try without having the cost associated with it then that would be great as I am sure other people have had the same problem.

The area is where the collar would normally be but she only wears it when she is on walks.

muddypaws · 05-09-2014 9:57am

Have you recently washed the collar? If so, it could be a reaction to the washing powder. Have you checked inside the collar, to make sure there is nothing stuck there that is irritating her?

salamanca22 · 05-09-2014 10:04am

muddypaws wrote: »

Have you recently washed the collar? If so, it could be a reaction to the washing powder. Have you checked inside the collar, to make sure there is nothing stuck there that is irritating her?

It's actually a new collar that was only bought a few weeks ago and has not been washed yet.

muddypaws · 05-09-2014 10:28am

salamanca22 wrote: »

It's actually a new collar that was only bought a few weeks ago and has not been washed yet.

So did this start since you've got the new collar? If so maybe you need to wash it, try just rinsing it in warm water, and giving the inside of it a good rub, see if that makes any difference. Seems odd that you buy a new collar and then the dog has a reaction in that area, so either the material may be irritating her, or there is something on the collar that is doing it.

salamanca22 · 05-09-2014 10:33am

muddypaws wrote: »

So did this start since you've got the new collar? If so maybe you need to wash it, try just rinsing it in warm water, and giving the inside of it a good rub, see if that makes any difference. Seems odd that you buy a new collar and then the dog has a reaction in that area, so either the material may be irritating her, or there is something on the collar that is doing it.

I think you might be right. I may have to replace it. However that is not going to help the situation now that she is actively scratching her neck. It is itchy because she is scratching it and she is scratching it because she is itchy

Is there any ointment anyone can reccomend that I can put on her neck that will help sooth her so she stops scratching?

muddypaws · 05-09-2014 10:40am

salamanca22 wrote: »

I think you might be right. I may have to replace it. However that is not going to help the situation now that she is actively scratching her neck. It is itchy because she is scratching it and she is scratching it because she is itchy

Is there any ointment anyone can reccomend that I can put on her neck that will help sooth her so she stops scratching?

But if you keep putting the collar on her to walk her, it will be making it worse. Do you have a harness she could wear for walks?

It is very difficult, and potentially dangerous for anyone to give you that kind of advice over the internet, without seeing the damage, if the skin is broken, obviously there are things that shouldn't be put on it. Have you tried just bathing it in warm water, to maybe ease it? Again, she may have mites, or even mange, which are making her itchy. You say you recently treated her with a flea treatment, what make was it, as maybe she's having a reaction to that? You need to remove whatever it is that is making her itchy before you can really stop it.

In the meantime, maybe try putting socks on her back paws, or dog boots if you have them, so that if she does scratch, she won't do any damage.

salamanca22 · 05-09-2014 10:48am

muddypaws wrote: »

But if you keep putting the collar on her to walk her, it will be making it worse. Do you have a harness she could wear for walks?

It is very difficult, and potentially dangerous for anyone to give you that kind of advice over the internet, without seeing the damage, if the skin is broken, obviously there are things that shouldn't be put on it. Have you tried just bathing it in warm water, to maybe ease it? Again, she may have mites, or even mange, which are making her itchy. You say you recently treated her with a flea treatment, what make was it, as maybe she's having a reaction to that? You need to remove whatever it is that is making her itchy before you can really stop it.

In the meantime, maybe try putting socks on her back paws, or dog boots if you have them, so that if she does scratch, she won't do any damage.

You're right. I think the only thing for it is the vet to get it properly diagnosed. It does look like the skin is broken. She is not bleeding but it is raw.

What do you reckon would be the price of the vet visit including whatever ointment or medicine they prescribe? I haven't had to bring her to the vet since her neutering at 9 months.

andreac · 05-09-2014 10:51am

salamanca22 wrote: »

You're right. I think the only thing for it is the vet to get it properly diagnosed. It does look like the skin is broken. She is not bleeding but it is raw.

What do you reckon would be the price of the vet visit including whatever ointment or medicine they prescribe? I haven't had to bring her to the vet since her neutering at 9 months.

What about her vaccinations?

andreac · 05-09-2014 10:52am

If money is tight then how about going to the Blue Cross mobile clinics?

salamanca22 · 05-09-2014 10:57am

andreac wrote: »

What about her vaccinations?

Some people think dogs need to be vaccinated every year. I am not one of those people. She has not been ill the entire time I have had her except for this skin ailment.

Unfortunately I am in Limerick and I do not believe the bluecross have mobile clinics for animals here.

maggiepip · 05-09-2014 11:10am

Vet prices vary but a consultation would be around the 45 euro mark, maybe a bit less maybe a bit more depending. You should get the vet to look at it but in the meantime putting a bit of Sudocreme on it would do no harm, will help the itching and its an antiseptic. You dont want it getting infected.

ElKavo · 05-09-2014 11:13am

Fill a sock with porridge oats and leave in a watering can full of water for at least 1 hour then pour the water over the area. You can also use the sock as a type of luffa and gently press it on the area. It should help with the itching. It really sounds like there is something in the collar that the dog doesn't like. Best of luck with it.

tk123 · 05-09-2014 11:23am

When my dog had hotspots I put socks on her feet and a bandana loosely around her neck to protect from scratching. My other dog had razor burn last week on his face and I rubbed arnica cream in a few times a day which really helped clear it up. He's just had an operation on his mouth so to save him scratching and doing any real damage I have a buster collar on him when he's not being supervised.

muddypaws · 05-09-2014 11:46am

salamanca22 wrote: »

Some people think dogs need to be vaccinated every year. I am not one of those people. She has not been ill the entire time I have had her except for this skin ailment.

Unfortunately I am in Limerick and I do not believe the bluecross have mobile clinics for animals here.

However, it is recommended that dogs complete their initial course of vaccinations, which is the puppy ones, and then the first annual booster, without that first booster, the dog is unvaccinated. It is entirely up to you what you do with your dog of course, but please look into it properly, protocol now is every 3 years for core vaccines, but lepto does need an annual vaccination, and is an incredibly nasty thing and unfortunately there have been a number of dog deaths from it recently, here and in the UK.

salamanca22 · 05-09-2014 11:48am

muddypaws wrote: »

However, it is recommended that dogs complete their initial course of vaccinations, which is the puppy ones, and then the first annual booster, without that first booster, the dog is unvaccinated. It is entirely up to you what you do with your dog of course, but please look into it properly, protocol now is every 3 years for core vaccines, but lepto does need an annual vaccination, and is an incredibly nasty thing and unfortunately there have been a number of dog deaths from it recently, here and in the UK.

Sorry I completely forgot that she had the boosters at 1 year

I have made the vet appointment anyhow and will let the vet advise me on the best course of action to help the poor thing.

Dog scratching neck.

Comments