Such Thing As A Tickle Spot?

[Guest michaela1123]

Our old school vet once told a friend of mine (as I escorted her two pomeranians on their visit) that if you itch a dog and they thump their leg something is wrong.

I never noticed before - it's recent, that this one spot we "itch/rub" Rio she starts THUMPING - she arches sideways the back leg lifts up and then it goes thump thump!

 

It's been bothering me that he had said that off comment about 2 years ago when examining this Pom that if it started doing that something was wrong, it's not "normal" behavior and humans certainly don't do that. But in many ways I have "tickle" spots, I'm wondering that's all it is with Rio - which would be fine, but why did it take us 2 years to "find it" or is it a new tickle spot?

 

Anyone out there have thoughts or advice on this?? Experiences?

 

On a side note - the Fleas are rampant in San Diego this year which is miserable as well.

[Guest LynnM]

In my experience, it indicates a skin irritation, and that irritation can be due to any of a number of causes.

 

Lynn

[Guest michaela1123]

In my experience, it indicates a skin irritation, and that irritation can be due to any of a number of causes.

 

Lynn

 

Recent flea bout? It's down on her side near the ribs but up close to the front leg.

[Guest Mommydog]

It sounds a strange tale to me, as I would say my own and lots of other dogs I've had contact with have all done this. My boy Jack also "grins right up to his ear" if I scratch his shoulder in a certain spot, that is to say one side of his mouth kind of grimaces and stretches, well almost up to his ear

[Guest SquanHound]

Ping will smile, arch and eventually roach if I get the right spot on his lower back/ hips. He seems to enjoy it, so I always thought of it as a tickle spot and not a cause for concern.

[Guest michaela1123]

It sounds a strange tale to me, as I would say my own and lots of other dogs I've had contact with have all done this. My boy Jack also "grins right up to his ear" if I scratch his shoulder in a certain spot, that is to say one side of his mouth kind of grimaces and stretches, well almost up to his ear

 

HA HA that's exactly what's happening, she purses her lips real tight arches (sideways which is quite funny) and then the back leg lifts thump thump thump, I swear it's new though.

 

Plus with the flea thing her skin has been sensitive, we keep her medicated with FrontLine, and I had even bumped it up to every 3 weeks and she STILL got fleas.

 

Her skin is raw from her gnawing poor thing, so every little thing is freaking me out.

[Guest EMcElfresh]

I have known lots of dogs to thump when you rub their ears...Gordon never really does - but maybe I haven't found the spot yet...sad if it is true - means this cute behavior is really a bad sign...

[Guest wrldruler]

The famous "Thumpin Spot".

 

My wife and I make it our mission to find the "Thumpin Spot" on every dog we meet.

 

Nelly definitely has one, but haven't found George's yet.

 

- Chris

[celbee]

Both of ours do the "thump thing" if their ears or necks are scratched just right. Usually it involves a really good scratching-- and on the neck, it usually happens when the collar is off so as to better scratch the whole neck. It does not tend to happen when I give them scritches, but my husband is good at scratching just right.

 

I don't think it's anything pathologic! They certainly don't make any effort to move away when all of this is occurring.

 

Carol

[MarcR]

Honey has a spot on her ribs... If I hit it just right, she'll thump. If she has a skin irritation, I sure don't see any outward indication. I always thought she was just ticklish.

[Guest simile]

I always thought when the dog started in with the "thumping" you'd found the sweet spot for scratching.

 

And as for the vet saying humans certainly don't do that, well, he's obviously never had a good eargasm, has he?

[Guest Mommydog]

I think when their skin is irritated it's probably more sensitised and can cause them to do the thump, thump/ear grinning thing all the more. She hasn't got a flea allergy has she ? That can cause them to bite/gnaw an awful lot. The allergy can actually be worse than the fleas themselves.

[Guest michaela1123]

I think when their skin is irritated it's probably more sensitised and can cause them to do the thump, thump/ear grinning thing all the more. She hasn't got a flea allergy has she ? That can cause them to bite/gnaw an awful lot. The allergy can actually be worse than the fleas themselves.

 

my friend who has two hounds looked at it and said it sounds more like an allergy - any links to where i can read more about this, or advice on what to do to soothe her? the fleas are dead but she's got some red sored.

 

the real kicker is she was frontlined the entire time, they guarantee so i want my money back!!

[Guest Mommydog]

I found this.

 

http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/flea-allergy.html

 

I rather think if it's an allergy she'll need veterinary treatment though.

[Guest D_MansMommy]

I think it may a breed thing. Neither of my greys do it but we had 2 dogs growing up and they both had tickle spots. Believe me they did not have fleas or any other condition. You don't know my mother

[Guest michaela1123]

I found this.

 

http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/flea-allergy.html

 

I rather think if it's an allergy she'll need veterinary treatment though.

 

Okay, she's just highly sensitive, it's not an allergy because there's no wheezing, coughing, sneezing, diarhea or vomit. But I'm going to the vet to get Capstar right now, to wipe any there might be completely out.

[Guest Mommydog]

I don't think they always necessarily have all those symptoms. Mine have never had the allergy, but my Mum's dog used to get it and I don't remember him ever sneezing, vomiting etc. Maybe that article was misleading. I hope you get to the bottom of is soon anyway.

[silverfish]

It sounds a strange tale to me, as I would say my own and lots of other dogs I've had contact with have all done this. My boy Jack also "grins right up to his ear" if I scratch his shoulder in a certain spot, that is to say one side of his mouth kind of grimaces and stretches, well almost up to his ear

 

Jack does this too!

 

I think the truth is that sometimes it's just an 'AAAWWWWWWWWWWWW! That's the spot!!! ScRatch it - that's so gooooooooooood!' type thing which isn't pathological, but sometimes it DOES indicate a problem.

 

My take on it is that if you find the 'tickle spot' and they do that, but as soon as you stop, they leave off and settle down with never another thought, it's just that - a tickle spot. But if they continue to try to get at that spot and wriggle around trying to scratch it themselves, or shiver their skin and shake themselves a LOT if they can't reach it, then it could be a problem.

 

It's always worth making sure there are no parasites - and don't forget cheyletiella. It's not that common over here, but IIRC not all flea products will kill it. I'd need to check that.

 

Have a good look at the skin at that spot. If there's dandruff, or redness, or scaliness, yep, there could be a problem. If it's pale and clear and supple, probably not.

 

JMHO.

 

And as for the vet saying humans certainly don't do that, well, he's obviously never had a good eargasm, has he?

Yeah, right!

[Guest SoulsMom]

Archie is 11 and he actually yelped in pain once when I was "tickling" him so I don't do it anymore and I don't let people tickle Soul when we are at our meet and greets. I'm not so sure they really like it . . . .

[Guest sheila]

Kiowa has always thumped a back leg when I scratch his neck. If I scratch his neck on the right side, he thumps his right leg. If I scratch on the left side, the left leg. If I scratch both sides at once he ends up in a sit because he's trying to thump both legs at once.

[Guest karen]

Both of ours do the "thump thing" if their ears or necks are scratched just right. Usually it involves a really good scratching-- and on the neck, it usually happens when the collar is off so as to better scratch the whole neck. It does not tend to happen when I give them scritches, but my husband is good at scratching just right.

 

I don't think it's anything pathologic! They certainly don't make any effort to move away when all of this is occurring.

 

Carol

 

Argus has that spot! If his collar is off, there is one spot on his neck that if I get a really fast scratch going he starts to thump. I think I first noticed it when he seemed to be trying to scratch with his hind leg there but couldn't really get to it. I decided to help out and he seemed very appreciative. I've also seen other dogs have thump spots, too.

[FosterFlunker]

Mine have tickle spots and thump their back legs too. No skin problems here either. It's just a tickle spot.

[Guest Greensleeves]

Tickle spot is a good name for this!

 

My vet explained that it's a sympathetic nervous reaction (like ice cream headaches), and that stimulation to one nerve/muscle group can cause a reaction in an unrelated nerve/muscle group.

 

It can happen if you rub a dog's thigh firmly--they'll stretch out that leg. It *looks* like they're stretching to really get into the rub... but, alas, it's just a sympathetic nervous reaction. Same thing when you scratch that spot on their spine, and they need to kick their back leg or scratch their bellies.

 

And so on....

 

That's all it is. I have no idea what that first vet was thinking....

[grey14me]

so if it's a sympathetic nervous reaction, does that mean they don't like it when you do it? I mean, there's no sense in annoying her on purpose

[DaisyDoodle]

Tickle spot is a good name for this!

 

My vet explained that it's a sympathetic nervous reaction (like ice cream headaches), and that stimulation to one nerve/muscle group can cause a reaction in an unrelated nerve/muscle group.

 

It can happen if you rub a dog's thigh firmly--they'll stretch out that leg. It *looks* like they're stretching to really get into the rub... but, alas, it's just a sympathetic nervous reaction. Same thing when you scratch that spot on their spine, and they need to kick their back leg or scratch their bellies.

 

And so on....

 

That's all it is. I have no idea what that first vet was thinking....

I can get my dogs to do both the thumping and the rear leg extension.

 

Regarding what the vet said, when Cosmo got sick (she had Degenerative Myelopathy[doggie MS] and lymphoma), if you'd scratch 'that' spot, she'd collapse. (I think because hind-end weakness is a big part of the DM.) So, in that regard, maybe the vet was a bit right.

 

DH prides himself in finding 'the spot' on any new dog he meets. It would be sad to think that that is a sign of neurological problems to come. It just seems like dogs really like to be scratched in certain places. It sort of like shivering when a person gets a good back scratch. (My mom has dementia, and when you touch her back, she'll still ask you to scratch her back; she really loves it.)

Edited July 27, 2007 by DaisyDoodle