my dog is chewing on his leg

Question
my dog is 7years old and he has been chewing on his leg for the past 4days and its starting to look like an undone chicken theres nothing wrong with him except for the biting but he might have got stung by a bee witch i was wondering if that would make a difference my mom said it probaly is a sign of being nervous cause we just got a new dog and his name is butler and he is only 8months old and hes been like strangling riley well i would liketo now today the 18 or the 17 well i hope i get a answer  and plz HELPPPPP!!!!!!!!

Answer
Your dog may well have been stung; this is the time when yellow jackets are *everywhere* looking for food, and they can be VERY aggressive creatures. I just eliminated two nests of those nasty creatures in the last few weeks, both of them in very hazardous spots for people and animals. A bee sting can be extremely painful and there isn't a lot that can be done for it but wait it out. I would think that if he had been stung in the leg that he would be limping.

First, check that leg very carefully and see if you can see a stinger in the area where he is chewing; it would need to be pulled out carefully with tweezers. Bees leave their stingers behind and then die, but yellow jackets do not; those nasty buzzards can sting multiple times. See if there is a central area that looks like it could be a sting. A paste can be made out of baking soda and water and applied to help draw out the pain, or a product like "Sting-Eze" helps with bug bites and stings. You do not want him to lick those products off! They need to be applied a few times a day.

Now he could be having pain in that area from something else.... some injury or arthritis, maybe. Dogs do tend to lick and chew on themselves if they hurt... and, yes, stress from a new household member can do it, too. You need to STOP him from chewing on himself. Get a product like Bitter Apple and spray that on the spot, or even put on some tabasco sauce if you have any (don't stain any rugs or furniture while applying it). Most dogs can't stand the taste of those products and won't lick/chew anymore. Apply everyday.

You might even have to get an Elizabethan collar to keep him from chewing on himself. This is a plastic cone that attaches around the dog's neck and prevents him from chewing on his leg. Some pet supply places carry them, and your vet certainly will have them.

Yes, the puppy will be chewing on Riley; that is what puppies do.... but I'll bet Riley is giving as good as he gets! LOL!

Karen