16 year old female chews fur til bleeds

Question
our 16 yr old female cross breed has suddenly started to obsessively chew her fur out til her skin bleeds, she's acutely deaf, blind, has canine dementia and now this...we've tried everything to stop her from doing it but she carries on at night when we're asleep so we come down to fresh bald patches that are bleeding again, gradually over the last few weeks she's worked her way up from left rear hip to down middle of her back, we have taken her to the vet several times but they say its not mange (relief)just that she's become obsessed with her fur...is it possible that in her confused state she doesn't realise what she's doing??

Answer
Who knows what lurks in the brain of old dogs? Sometimes not much, I think<G> (says the woman with a house full of geriatric dogs, the oldest of whom is 15.)

This could be due to fleas, or a hot spot, maybe pain because she needs a chiropractic adjustment, or something in her diet that is making her itch; most of our homes are getting rather dry about now (at least they are here in cold Minnesota where I am). I rather think there IS a reason for it, but you may never figure out what started the chewing.

Give her a good bath with a medicated or oatmeal shampoo, and rinse her well afterwards. I would put her in an Elizabethan collar... either keep her in it at all times, or just at night or when she cannot be watched. If you don't want to go to an E-collar, get one of those cervical-type neck braces for her so that she cannot turn her head to reach her rear. I heard of someone who made one for her dog out of a rolled up blanket so that her dog couldn't turn her head around. Keep something on her until her hair has grown in a bit and, hopefully, she has forgotten about chewing on herself.

Give your ol' gal a hug from me! Bless her heart...