Why would pest-free Australian Shepherds bite themselves and how do you get them to stop?

Answer 1

There are a few reasons as to why they may be doing this. If it was one dog I would take a guess that it was Allergies, however it is rare for two dogs in one family to have allergies. My second guess is they have have gotten into something they shouldn't have which could cause the skin irritation.

This may sound strange but its worth a try. Get down to the dogs level, and crawl around where the dogs frequent. Look for open containers, spilled powders, anything that they could accidently lay down in or ingest.

If that's a bust think back have the carpets, or dog beds been recently washed? Are there new carpets in the house? Has the yard been treated with a new pesticide, or fertlizer? Even a new shampoo used on the dogs could cause them to itch or develop dry skin.

Remember even if they are pest free they may have caught some type of parasite, to diagnose a parasite a vet would have to take a skin sample scraping and look at it through a microscope.

If the scratching is excessive it could cause open wounds which would make them susceptible for an infection. Moniter the location of the biting carefully. If the skin is broken a course of oral, or topical anti-biotics may be called for, if there is an infection it is imperative for the dogs to receive medical attention. I hope they feel better! Good Luck!