Dogs may bite their legs for a variety of reasons. The solution can be simple or may, ultimately, require a trip to the veterinarian. If you do not stop a dog from biting its leg, over time the skin can become thick, the hair will fall off and the area can ulcerate. However, before you fork over your wallet for vet fees, there are a few simple fixes that will often do the trick.
Things You'll Need
- New flea shampoo
- Flea and tick medicine
- New shampoo
- New dog food
- Petroleum jelly
Instructions
Give your dog a thorough flea shampoo. The most common reason for leg biting is skin irritation, and nothing literally bugs a dog worse than fleas. A thorough medicated shampoo will get rid of existing fleas to help resolve the immediate problem.
Put your dog on regular flea and tick medication. This will keep fleas out of the picture. If your pet was biting its leg because of fleas, then this should resolve the issue entirely within a few weeks at the very outside.
Change your dog's shampoo and other grooming products. Dogs have allergies just like people. It may be that your dog's shampoo, conditioner or other grooming products are irritating the skin and causing it to bite its leg.
Change your dog's food. Food allergies can also cause skin irritation and are often the culprit in leg-biting situations.
Rub the spot with petroleum jelly to discourage biting. Often a dog will start biting its leg because there is some type of irritation, then continue doing it out of habit long after the irritant is gone. Petroleum jelly is unpleasant and will discourage biting and licking.
Work with your veterinarian for larger leg-biting issues. Some dogs bit their legs compulsively, much as if they had a canine version of obsessive compulsive disorder. Canine antidepressants can help in this situation. Cortisone shots can alleviate irritation in the area to help a dog deal with allergies or to help them break a habit that has led to infection or "hot spots."