I have a Daschund that is about 2 and a half years old. She was a stray that dropped into our laps when she was less then a year old, she still had a puppy tooth or two. Anyway, I have noticed that she seems to go through cycles of itching on her back. She does not have fleas. IF I let her she gets under the bed and rubs the hair right off her back. It lasts for 2 or 3 weeks and then it stops and her hair grows back. Does anyone know what this could be? Her name is Gretchie. She is red.

It seems many people have had the same kind of problem. I'll keep working on it and if I find something that owks I will let you all know. One thing that seems to give her some releif is selsun blue shampoo, go figure.

When the hair falls out, is the skin normal looking or is it red and/or scabby looking? Are these cycles at any particular time of the year like spring or fall?

The skin is normal looking until she rubs it off. I really don't think the hair would even fall out if she didn't rub it so much. I thought , at first, that it was happening just before her heat cycle, until this time. She is the first female dog I have ever had that wasn't spayed so I am not familiar with the ins and out of a females heat cycle. This time, she doesn't seem to be coming into heat. She stays inside or in the fence so I know she isn't pregnant. We are going to have her spayed but we have just put it off. LAst night I actually gave her a couple of children's asprin and it helped her more then anything. That was at two in the morning. She sleeps with us and she was driving me crazy. I guess the anti-inflamatory effect helped her.
She is such a sweet dog. I hate to see her in misery. BUt it only lasts a couple of weeks. I know I could take her to the vet but we are short of funds and I know how much they like to run "tests" and try different things.
The itch is in a place where she can't reach, so if I keep her out from under the bed she can't find anything to rub on. I have pillows stuffed in all around the bed. Seems to work. But she still itches. I baby her when it happens. Maybe I need to call the dog whisperer.lol
Thanks for your response.
Debbie