Dirty dog ??

[dumbboy]

Is my dog normal ?,she seems to lick her rear end quite alot ,more than you would expect.The reason I know this is coz she has her basket in my bedroom and she keeps me up most of the night coz I can hear her constantly licking herself and Im a light sleeper !
She is a 5 year old jack russel. Any ideas ????

[burnhal]

Impacted (blocked) anal glands- not pleasant to sort yourself - best done by a vet

[jules77]

or.........she is coming into season.........or............she has an infection of the vulva - the latter one will need sorting by the vet with some cream.

[Illyria54]

I'm with burnhal, sounds like blocked anal glands, take her to be checked out by your vet.

[dumbboy]

Thanks guys,looks like its a trip to the vets !!

[jules77]

If it is anal gland problems, she may be dragging her bottom along the floor, and after they have been emptied the vet may suggest more fibre in her diet - it could also be worms, have you de wormed her recently?

[GypsyGSD]

Ive just taken my gsd to vet for same reason,she has a thickening of vulva possible caused by licking and has been given a collar to try to break habit ,so worth a trip to vet she is nine years old and after doing checks they also found a tumour in her mammory gland which has now been removed so her habit proberly saved her life as i missed the tumour on her monthly check up that i do GypsyX

[jules77]

I suggested something different to anal glands as my bitch has vaginitis occasionally, and she drives me nuts once she starts! It is a regime of cream, lick cream off, then more cream. The vet also suggested that I wash her twice a day, just with a flannel, which really helps, but when I think she is OK and I stop doing it a month later she starts all over again, so just have to keep up the washing regime.

[bensmum]

My dog had the same problem as jules (she also used to drive me mad at night but the problem must have driven her mad too, poor thing!) I think a trip to the vet is a good idea.

[jules77]

why does it seem to bother them more at night - my girl hardly bothered in the day, but as soon as I wanted to go to sleep and she was relaxed she started - must be because she had nothing else to think about, so its a case of 'ooh, I know what I will do!!!!!!!!'