whats wrong with harry ?!

by Toni
(england , newbury , west berkshire )

hiya my granddads JRT isnt very well and we don't know what it is! he has been itching his bum REALLY badly and now under his tail and thighs he has gone slightly bald well completely bald on the underside of his tail. and it is really sensitive . and he is in a really bad mood now and normally he sleeps and rests on the sofa or a bed but now he just wants to lay in his bed he dosnt even want to play ! what is wrong with him ? we thought it was mange but it's not soooo.... if you have any idea as to what it could be PLEASE tell me we are all very very very very worried about our little harry !

also he has been itching for a while now and at irls we just thought he had itches but we know he dosnt because he is going bald on his bk end !

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Oct 28, 2009
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Could be flea alergy
by: Anonymous

We had the same problem with ole Pilot, lost a lot of hair on his tail and had weird welts and open sores on his underside. Believe it or not we were told that JRT's can be allergic to fleas! Go figure for such a bullheaded species! But - with consistent flea treatment it all went away. Dont know if this helps but it worked for Pilot and we stick to it. BTW - the hair that was lost during the initial ugliness doesnt grow back, life scars I spose. Be well.

Aug 31, 2009
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Go to the vet
by: stefanie

He probably either has parasites (these are very itchy around the anus) or he could have clogged or abscessed anal glands.

Have you ever had his anal glands squeezed out? It sounds gross, but little dogs like this need to have it done every so often. It is usually accompanied by a fishy smell that comes from their behind.

If he has parasites, you can sometimes see them in the poop. However, sometimes they are too small and the vet can only see them under a microscope. Either way, you should get him to a vet. If you can't afford a regular vet, places like the Banfield Animal Hopsital in PetsMart is pretty inexpensive.

Also, if you think it's an anal gland thing, the groomer can clean them out for you. However, his situation sounds bad enough that you might want to take him to the vet. Might need some meds.

Good luck!

PS. Sometimes fleas can make a dog lick until the hair comes out. Is this a possibility? There might be grass fleas in your backyard that you aren't seeing on him in the house. You will notice little pink dots, sometimes like pimples, if this is the case.

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