Why is my 1-year-old Shih Tzu humping? Is it her razor burn?

Harley's skin lesions certainly look uncomfortable! The most likely cause of this redness and papule formation is due to an underlying allergy. Dogs can be allergic to fleas, food or things in the environment, and new allergies can develop at any age, even though nothing has changed. A trip to the vet is still in order to assure that his skin has not become infected secondary to any licking or scratching because these skin infections typically require antibiotics. Be sure that Harley is receiving a high quality flea preventative regularly (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or Advantix). You can also try bathing him in a gentle oatmeal-based dog shampoo, as this can be soothing on the skin. If he is overly itchy, he may need an e-collar (cone) to prevent him from chewing or licking excessively, as this can cause further skin irritation. I hope that all goes well!

I would recommend that you have Zoe evaluated by the vet to determine the cause of the rash. Sometimes puppies can develop a pyoderma from the changing hormones. It is often self-limiting and does not require treatment. Other kinds of rashes can be caused by fleas, allergies, irritants, and mange or mites.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If Jess is an older dog, this may be causing a lot of exertion doing this behavior leading to her becoming exhausted. If she continues to become dazed or this worsens, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her and have her blood tested to make sure she does not have any underlying disease. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. I think this is likely a hot spot which is basically an infection from scratching so much. You may use an e-collar in the meantime to prevent further self-trauma from scratching. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

What cute pups! Its possible there could be a parasite causing some skin irritation. Fleas would be a possibility, but also demodectic mange which is caused by mites that normally live on the skin but can get out of control when dogs are immune suppressed as in pregnancy. It may improve on its own as the pups get bigger but she may need to see a vet for treatment.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is not a reason to be concerned. Humping can be an ongoing behavior that may happen from time to time and it is not necessarily due to her being spayed. The scooting could be due to anal gland issues. If she continues to do that, I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment. Best of luck!

Lilly Lynne may have a bit of rash or razor burn if she was trimmed close. First be sure she is on appropriate flea control as she may have picked up fleas from groomer. Benedryl is acceptable to use once or twice daily if it give her relief. She may also be having a reaction to the shampoo or fragrance the groom used. I would give her a bath in dawn to wash off any residue to see if that helps. (Original blue dish soap dawn). If no improvement then she may need a vet visit. I hope she’s back to normal quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach