My shih-tzu will not stop licking and biting herself.

[maggie01]

She does it every year when the weather is hot but this year she seems worse. She is 10yrs old. Can't see any flees or traces of flees. She has been sprayed and has been bathed everyday this last week to try to cool her down. She is ok for a little while and then starts again.
It is driving her and me mad as neither of us is getting much sleep.. There is no broken skin just soaking wet fur.

[maggie01]

I searched the internet and found you can give benodryl for children to dogs at the rate of 1mg per pound. It is liquid so how do you measure probably 15mg. ( i will weigh her properly)

[Jan1957]

My bichon had this problem every summer and the only thing I found relieved it was tea tree oil lotion. You can buy it for dogs and also found using tea tree oil shampoo helped.

[Moonstone6]

My westie has eczema and does the same thing. Ive found that washing them each day actually makes it worse because it dries their skin out, and the shampoo probably stings and makes it itch too. Leave her be for a few days and see if she stops, mine does until i wash him again :)

[kita1]

This is worth a try:

http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/Neem-Oil-Margosa-Sh ampoo-250ml/productinfo/MARGS250/

[woofgang]

could it be mites? You can only see them with a microscope, has the vet checked a skin scraping for them?

[lankeela]

Try this:

http://www.aromesse.com/indexcan.htm?PHPSESSID =c4aff2c3d944c8df0698c97b1527f341

[maggie01]

Thank you for replies.

I took a chance and gave her half teaspoon of Benadryl and we all got a good nights sleep. She stopped scratching and rolling about.

I had to keep listening to her breathing because it has been a while since she slept properly.

I wil keep it for emergencies but it seemed to work.