Allergies? Anal Gland issues? Behavior?

Hi all,

New member here -- I adopted a Staffy/Boston Terrier Mix about 6 weeks ago. She's 2.5 and ~40 pounds.

The shelter told me she was on Kirkland Nature's Domain (Beef), so I was feeding that to her for a bit. Noticed very weird eating habits - would barely eat at all and then would scarf down every third meal or so. She was biting/itching the base of her tail incessantly and also constantly licking her anal region.

I put her on flea medicine (which took care of the biting of the tail) and switched her food to Rachel Ray's Just 6 Lamb & Brown Rice, which I heard was good for sensitive stomachs and possible allergies. She immediately started eating that food more eagerly, but was still itching and constantly boot scooting/licking her anal region.

I took her to the vet yesterday to have her anal glands emptied, hoping that would solve the problem, but the vet mentioned they were not very full and the glands seemed irritated. She has itched/licked her anal region so much that there is now a hotspot under her tail and she has to wear a cone for two weeks.

She is also back to touching just bits of her food from time to time. I can't afford to have her lose any weight (she's already fairly skinny from life at the shelter), and it seems that her anal glands aren't causing the problem (since they were barely full). She is already back to boot scooting today.

The vet said it's most likely food allergies and that I should monitor her for two weeks and start a new food diet (something that is NOT over the counter?) if nothing changes.

Has anyone experienced this before? What are NOT over the counter food options for highly allergic dogs? I am running out of ideas. It breaks my heart to see her constantly itching/licking herself and I don't know what's wrong or how to help!

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Hi there, welcome to the forum from Flo and me

Well done on the rescue and what a cross, should be fun.

A raw diet might be worth considering, at least with that you know it's all natural with no additives. My girl was very similar by the sounds of things but isn't so bad now. We have her on hyperalogenic wet and dry food, half and half, but she still does nibble from time to time.

I would also ask the vet to check her back end bone structure, since my girl had her back op she scoots even less but does sometimes still lick the base of her tail. Could be related but hard to prove.

I hope you can get to the root cause and do let me know what happens, could well help my little lass.

I would suggest looking at a raw diet as well, keeping a diary of any reactions or lack thereof. Only add one ingredient at a time and give a week or so before adding or changing anything as sometimes it can take a few days.

Although you can get allergies to chicken, it's not common so that's probably a good one to start with.

Cannot add to already good advice.