Q.  I have a Shetland Sheepdog named Daisy who is around 10-11 years old (I adopted her 4 years ago from the Human Society - she had been dropped off with no information).  In September 2007 I had her teeth cleaned and eight teeth pulled. After the teeth extractions I noticed she would scratch uncontrollable on the right side of her face. I took her to the vet and he gave her steroids thinking she might of had an allergic reaction to the anesthesia. Now its January 2008 and randomly she is STILL scratching uncontrollable. I am scared she will hit her eyes one of these days. Called the vet and he suggested giving her Benedryl®. After a week and a half the Benedryl® has not helped her at all.

A. It is important to determine whether or not the scratching has anything to do with your dog’s dental extractions. I would schedule a recheck with your vet and specifically ask if this is a skin problem or an oral issue. You can help by keeping track of when the scratching is most frequent, where she is scratching or rubbing (is it all over or just one side of her face?) If the scratching is unrelated there should be some evidence of skin inflammation – redness or bumps – that your veterinarian can offer treatment for. If there is any doubt that the scratching might be a manifestation of oral pain, you veterinarian should offer to x-ray the mouth to check for any problems with the teeth or tooth roots. If your veterinarian doesn’t offer oral x-rays they should be able to refer you to a practice that does.