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Expert: - 10/6/2011


Question
I have a chihuahua that was rescued about 6 years ago. She should be about 7-8 years old now. She has gotten all recommended vaccinations (don't know the specific names). She would be considered obese, a problem that we have tried to fix to no avail. Her problem is quite difficult to explain, but  here goes- most dogs have certain spots in which someone can rub that makes one of their legs go crazy. Recently, my chihuahua has become like that almost all over her body, with the exception being her head. Every where that we rub sends her into a mode where her leg automatically twitches and her mouth contorts. This only happens when someone is petting her in one of the many spots. What could be causing this?

Answer
I have no way of knowing what would cause this but certainly being obese doesn't help the issue. Fleas are another common cause of this action where a dog or cat will want to scratch, rub etc when they are being touched or petted.


If she doesn't find any relief from treating her and the house for fleas then you should have the vet take a close look at her skin. She could have a yeast infection or a parasite that is making her itch. She could also have some allergies going on.

There are many solutions to obesity in dogs that work really well if they are followed carefully. That means no treats whatsoever, no human food or table scraps, only feeding diet food from the vet such as R/D (which works really, really well when fed as directed) and walking the dog regularly. I have helped dozens of dogs lose weight and regain their health and vigor but it couldn't have been done without the full cooperation of the owners. You must also weigh the dog weekly to help keep you motivated to help her.

I am glad that she is current on her vaccinations- I am hoping that means heartworm prevention as well. Have the vet do a skin scraping on her back or one of the spots that makes her go nuts. He/she might find something in there causing this itching.

I hope you find the cause!

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

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Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

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Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

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Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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