Scottish terrier experts???

[mousey]

We are dogsitting a 5 yr old scottish terrier. She has been chomping (like she is trying to catch a fly). Does anyone know what would cause this. Someone told me this was a sign of epilepsy? She is eating and drinking fine. Any thoughts??

 

[BMWTeamLeader]

We are dogsitting a 5 yr old scottish terrier. She has been chomping (like she is trying to catch a fly). Does anyone know what would cause this. Someone told me this was a sign of epilepsy? She is eating and drinking fine. Any thoughts??

Is the dog asleep or awake? If asleep, then this is a normal reaction for some dogs. Our dog (beagle/boxer) "chases squirrels" in his sleep.

 

[mousey]

She is awake when she does it. I also noticed that if you pet her near her tail, she arches her back and sticks her tongue out a lot. I looked online and it said it could be a plugged anal gland?? She isn't rubbing her butt on the carpet though!

 

[diznygirl]

We had a dog that would snap at the air and it was just the hair too long around his eyes.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Sometimes dogs do weird things with their mouths if they have something stuck between their cheek and gum in the back, typically a piece of a dog biscuit. They can't curl their tongues like we do to get it out, so they sort of "stretch" instead - I suppose it could present in different ways for different dogs. Good thing is, you don't have to stick your finger in her mouth to check. Just feel along the side part of the jaw and if something's there you can feel a lump. You can also push it out the same way. (And then they chew it to finish it off! )

 

[Jockaroo]

Hi. Scottie person for over 17 years--so knowledgable.

I've had my Scotties do the fly-catching chomp before if we have a tiny flying insect in the house. This behavior is typically combined with walking/pacing as they track the bug. It looks odd because the insects can be so tiny.

If something is caught in the mouth you may see drooling and licking of mouth, pawing at the mouth or rubbing the face on the floor/carpet. Check the beard to see if her face is wet from drool.

As for the issue of petting her near the tail: one of my Scots would lick at her nose and press her rear end on the floor when her anal glands were full. My current girl does the scootering/rubbing on the floor. My best guess is that the dog may have some itchiness. Scotties are notorious for skin issues. The area at the base of the tail has seemed very sensitive in a couple of my Scotties. When I have visited strange places, mine have gotten itchy. If you are pet sitting in your home, this could be the case. The air may be drier or you could have an allergen she hasn't got at home. Also, fleas can cause major issues with Scotties. My Scottie with flea-bite dermatitis reacts similarly when you touch around her tail. And it can only take one bite to send a sensitive dog into a frenzy. Also, the chomping could be related to flea biting as well.

Good luck. I bet she is a cute little girl.

 

[mousey]

Thank you all for your responses. I'm leaning towards skin issue! Luckily her Mommy is coming home this weekend and can make an appointment at the vet. to get her checked out. If I can figure it out, I will post a picture of her and her sister. They are really cute!