Why is my dog biting his tail and getting scabs? How can I help?

He could have a skin infection, allergic dermatitis, fleas, and/or a problem with his anal glands. You could bathe him with a anti-bacterial medicated cat shampoo and see if that helps. Also, use a good flea prevention, like Revolution, Bravecto, or Frontline to prevent fleas. If the problem continues then he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat. He might need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, and a corticosteroid to help treat. Your vet can also express his anal glands if they are full.

I am sorry to hear about Jake. I would be concerned he could have either intense itching or pain near his hind end that is causing this behavior. The base of the tail/hind end is a common site for flea bites. I would recommend a visit to the vet for an examination. They can check for fleas and skin infection (some dogs will get a skin infection secondary to flea allergy). They can also check for pain and neurological abnormalities that may cause these signs.

There are several conditions that can cause these symptoms. You'll want to try to keep the area as clean and dry as possible and prevent any licking. This will help prevent any secondary bacterial or yeast infection from forming. Be sure to visit your local Veterinarian and request a Skin scraping exam. This will allow your doctor to rule out any mites, mange, or fungal infection. Your doctor should be able to prescribe a treatment plan to clear this up pretty easily.

Poor Buddy! It sounds like this area is itchy for him. This itching can be caused by [fleas](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/flea-infestation-1/), [mites](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/mange/), [ringworm](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/ringworm-1/), or [allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/canine-allergies/). If he isn't up to date on his [flea treatment](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-do-i-pick-the-right-flea-and-tick-product-for-my-pet/), he will need a spot on treatment, such as Advantix, or a prescription oral flea preventive, such as Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, or Credelio. You will need to disinfect the environment as well. If he is up to date on his flea treatment, I recommend taking him into your vet for an exam. Your vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm. Once the cause of the itching is found, your vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment. I recommend taking him into the vet today or tomorrow. He will also likely need an [E-collar](https://www.petcoach.co/article/e-collars-for-cats-dogs-types-of-collars-and-diy-options/) (cone) to prevent him from biting at that area until he sees the vet.

Two causes come to mind: 1) Hachi picked up fleas at the groomers and now they are congregating in the tail area and are biting him. Check the base of the tail for fleas and fea dirt and use a flea preventive regularly. 2) Unfortunately many groomers think they know how to empty anal glands and when it is to be done (even when there is no need to!) and do it wrongly, squeezing hard from the outside. THis often bruises the anal sacs and the area around them and starts to get inflamed and hurts. If you can rule out fleas, I suggest you take Hachi to your vet for an exam of the anal glands. He may need an antiinflammatory to resolve the irritation and possible pain.

I would make sure that she is up to date with her flea treatments as 90% of skin issues affecting the base of the tail are linked to flea dermatitis. Make sure the products you use are applied in the correct way and that Whiskey is not bathed shortly after. It is often necessary to spray the environment with another insecticide in order to kill all the larvae.

This can be dandruff and dry skin that has formed a scab from a bacterial infection. Often times the infection is in the hair follicle and makes the hair thin. You can start with a bath in a medicated shampoo to loose the debris and scabs. If there is more than one spot, you might need oral antibiotics