Vet Results!

I took Chili to the vet today about the irritation and small bump on her belly. Turns out the bump is her navel! I'm so relieved. I didn't even know that dogs had a visible belly button. The irritation is being caused by her constant licking of that area of her body. She has a lot of nervous energy and is nipping at the skin on her legs and licking on her underside a lot. The vet said that she's developing some infection in her skin, and he gave me amoxycillin to treat that. We're just going to have to figure out how to stop her nervous habits! Any suggestions? We've tried switching toys out, putting food inside one of those little toys where she can chew on that instead, and playing really hard with her while we're at home (to tire her out).

Sounds like you're using your head. Watch and see when she licks and nips at her skin and make note of what time of day it is, what's going on around her, if it's just after she's eaten, before she goes to sleep, etc. That will help you get a handle on what's causing the nervousness.

Thanks for the tips. One thing we definitely know is that she doesn't do it when we're home and she's playing or sitting with us. I caught her nipping her leg early this morning when I came in to wake her. We are thinking that it is a form of releasing her separation anxiety when we have to leave her, even just to go to bed.

Yeah! So glad the bump turned out to be something so sweet! Good luck with the licks/nips! Hopefully if the meds clear up her skin some it won't be as interesting to her!

Karen
http://www.dogster.com/?81610
Lucy & Holly