Hi all,

Right, we have a bit of an issue! My German Shepherd Zack won't stop scratching his nose (snout). He rubs it pretty much constantly on the carpet as it appears to be really irritating him.

He hasn't got fleas (checked), we've tried special rash/infection cream for pets, no joy. Took his to the vets, and as per usual they fed my mum a load of crap and advised the best bet is some £40+ antibiotics.. didn't do a thing. He's still really itching it and it's starting to get really sore.

Anyone seen this before, or recommend anything we can try? My mum wants to take him back to the vet but they're useless and just cost a fortune!

Cheers

Gaz

I dont think they'd recommend anything that wouldn't help him!

could be a habit

is his nose wet or dry? cold or hot?

you.ve obviously tried the antibiotics ... which rules out any infection. I would be tempted to try out some over the counter medication for children ...i.e sudocreme. It could even be a nervous habit he's got into.

Do you think it could've become a habit? I swear my OH's staffie has OCD, she's obsessed with smacking her lips, hers is a habit but once she starts she has to do it for near enough 5 minutes each time, her nose and mouth often get sore from doing it.

Weird things aren't they :D?!!

is his nose wet or dry? cold or hot?

you.ve obviously tried the antibiotics ... which rules out any infection. I would be tempted to try out some over the counter medication for children ...i.e sudocreme. It could even be a nervous habit he's got into.

He licks it right off though, he's so dopey.

It's his snout, not his nose (sorry).

could it be some sort of allergy?
Is that him on your avatar?

No that's my old dog Max that died 23/12/05, there's a (quite teary) thread about it somewhere :(

Edit. Thread is here (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42954)

Here's some pics of Zack (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1628931&postcount=252)

I am so sorry, I just assumed. beautiful dog!
Oh my god, why did you put that link in I`ve been sat here reading and now I`m a blubbering wreck. Max was a real handsome lad, looks like a real gent.
Zack looks like he could be slightly crazy, got a naughty look about him!

I am so sorry, I just assumed. beautiful dog!

They're both gorgeous dogs :)

Searching the internet says that something called Chickweed Gel is meant to be really good, anyone heard of it/tried it?

try aloe vera gel on his snout (rub it in) .. it could be just a bad habit ... my friends old doberman used to suck his front paw till it was blistery and sore :loopy: . ... if it is a habit ...

get a plastic bottle and put a handful of dried peas in it, every time you see him scratching him snout ... shake the bottle, this will distract him and hopefully stop the habit!:thumbsup:

p.s ... the pic of him at 10 weeks ... corr:love: :love: :love:

try aloe vera gel on his snout (rub it in) .. it could be just a bad habit ... my friends old doberman used to suck his front paw till it was blistery and sore :loopy: . ... if it is a habit ...

get a plastic bottle and put a handful of dried peas in it, every time you see him scratching him snout ... shake the bottle, this will distract him and hopefully stop the habit!:thumbsup:

p.s ... the pic of him at 10 weeks ... corr:love: :love: :love:

Thanks I'll add that to the list of stuff I've found!

I know, he's so cute isn't he? I'm going to give him a big kiss now :D He'll be laid in his bed by now I bet.

This may sound a little strange but if he is rubbing his nose that often, is his snout hairless by any chance? We all know it itches when hair starts to grow back (no comments please :rolleyes: :hihi: ) and if he is doing it constantly the hairs will never fully grow back before he rubs it bare again. My dog used to do this so I kept putting lots of vaseline on it, she eventually gave up because she didn't like the after taste :hihi:

Do you think it could've become a habit? I swear my OH's staffie has OCD, she's obsessed with smacking her lips, hers is a habit but once she starts she has to do it for near enough 5 minutes each time, her nose and mouth often get sore from doing it.

Weird things aren't they :D?!!


Mine does that lip smacking thing and the rubbing her nose with her paw and guess what she's a staffy X LOL:D

Have you checked inside his mouth? Could it be his teeth/gums that are the problem?

Gaz,

I'm tempted to think it's a habit, and if his muzzle doesn't look sore, other than him rubbing it, and there's no infection - which you've ruled out I'd be trying to counteract the behaviour that's damaging him.

We put sudocrem on Takara's rashes when she was a wee pupster but by putting anything on his muzzle, you'll be encouraging him to think about it, lick it or rub it.

Maybe something cooling would help, maybe not.

If it were me, I'd go back to the vet and check that there's definitely no dental reason or allergy causing it and then I'd invest in maybe some training discs or a pet corrector spray whichever you think is least likely to actually upset him.

Everytime he rubs his nose, I'd spray the corrector spray or drop the discs, whichever you choose to use - don't use a water spray, it will encourage him to rub his nose to dry off.

This may seem harsh but at the end of the day, if it's a habit, it's damaging him and he needs to learn not to do it.

But I'd definitely check with the vet that you wouldn't be doing him further harm by teaching him not to do it.

Are you certain he doesn't have anything (such as a hair) wedged up his nose? (Is he sneezing too? )

Could it be an anxiety reaction of some description? (try rescue remedy for a few days to see if it improves)

Well this has been on-going for 5 months.

He had some blood tests and they've come back to say he's allergic to beef, pork and lamb as well as dust mites and cupboard mites!

Which now means his bedding has to be washed evey day, we have to hoover anything he is likely to go near twice a day, his mouth has to be wiped down after every meal and he has to be shampoo'd with a special shampoo every week. As well as having to be fed on non-allergic dry food that costs about £48 a bag and lasts him 1 week.

Crikey!

if he's allergic to beef pork and lamb, feed him chicken food

if he's allergic to dust mite - invest in a steam cleaner and a Sebo vacuum cleaner

No idea what cupboard mites are - sorry

(I'd be surprised if the advice you've been given already isn't a belt and braces situation, and you can sort this out more simply and cheaply :) )

what food is that?!!?! James Wellbeloved and Burns are hypoallergenic and come in chicken and rice flavour for £38 a bag which lasts about a month (probably more actually).

What does the special shampoo do?
(or what is it? )