My dog aggressively chases her tail. Is it anxiety or medical?

Typically when dogs chase their tails in an obsessive manner it is because they have excess energy they need to burn off. When Jerry starts this behavior try to redirect his attention to something else that would be a better outlet for his energy like playing ball or going for a fast paced walk. If you think Jerry is doing this because his tail is painful or irritating him, then you may want to take him to the vet to be checked out. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Poor Cupcake! She sounds very anxious. Aside from giving her lots of attention and love at home, there isn't much you can do for her without seeing a vet. If she continues to be very anxious and worried, she would likely be much more comfortable on anti-anxiety medication like Lorazepam that you can get from your vet. A dog-specific neutroceutical medication that often works well is Zylkene that your vet might recommend as well. Since she was chewing on her tail, it's possible she is itchy and not just anxious, and might benefit from allergy medication like Apoquel. Unfortunately, to really get her feeling better I think you'll likely need to see the vet for help. Good luck!

Border collies have very high energy levels and need an outlet for their energy, otherwise they can be come destructive to their surroundings or themselves. It sounds to me like your dog has some excess energy building up and the only way June knows how to burn off this energy is by chasing her tail. I would recommend starting some training with her, maybe doing agility training, and exercising her regularly by taking her on fast paced walks for 30 minutes once or twice a day. Once you give her an outlet for her energy this behavior should stop.

This is a rare occurrence, but can be very dangerous to herself and others of the aggression starts to become more evolved. I have had a few patients with this behavior disorder and they did improve somewhat on anxiety medications, but in time they both got worse and would severely injure themselves. I would highly encourage you to see a veterinary behavior specialist. Please contact your veterinarian for a recommendation for one in your area. I am so sorry you are dealing with this. I know it is so very stressful. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

No it would be unusual for an older dog to start chasing his tail - he may have a source of pain or discomfort which is causing him irritation. I recommend you get him assessed by your vet and consider acupuncture if no obvious reason is found

Hello, sorry to hear about Jaxx. This can be associated with abnormal sensation at his tail either due to an old injury or something such as flea bites. This may also be associated with abnormalities of her anus, such as impacted anal glands or an anal gland abscess. More rarely, this may be associated with a main neurologic disease such as a seizure. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Allergies can be frustrating to diagnose since there are many potential allergens. They can include flea bites, environmental/inhaled allergens or food allergies or sensitivities. It can also be caused by behavioral issues, such as boredom or anxiety. Place an e-collar (cone) on Lou to prevent licking. Discuss allergy testing, food elimination trials and hydrolyzed diets with your veterinarian. A short course of steroids followed by antihistamines may help stop any itch and prevent it from returning. This may be a seasonal issue or it could be year round. You can also discuss anxiety medications and behavioral modification with your veterinarian. When you see Lou licking, distract him and offer a task, exercise or treat to redirect his attention. If he complies, praise and reward him. Be patient and be consistent. Limit his exposure to chemicals and cleaners to see if it makes a difference. Remove any candles or air fresheners from the home as well.