My dog keeps chewing her raw, bleeding tail. How can it heal?

Hello. Unfortunately, unless you can get to the bottom of the problem, these type conditions can be very difficult to cure. Bandaging while wearing a Elizabethan cone can help for a while, & if it can heal, the problem may be solved. But if this a recurrent injury, allergy, neurologic or even a compulsive-obsessive behavior, treatments are often a bit more complex involving long term medication & sometimes even amputation of most of the tail. The first thing the tail needs is antibiotics as the tail does look infected. I think you really need to see your veterinarian with Ramces to see why this has happened & what is the right direction to go in to heal things up. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Tail wounds can be difficult and frustrating to treat. Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent any more chewing. Gently clean the tail, applying direct pressure with a clean cloth to stem any bleeding. When she is in the crate, offer a special toy or treat to keep her distracted. Make sure she has enough room to turn around so she isn't whacking her tail against the sides. A pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar or DAP plug in diffuser, may decrease stress and anxiety if she gets worked up while crated.

Yes, place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent chewing or licking. The cone should extend at least 2" from the tip of her nose to be effective. You can remove it at mealtimes, just watch her closely and replace as soon as she is done eating. Keep the area clean and dry as well. You can use a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution for daily cleaning. Keep it well padded to prevent trauma if she bangs it against objects when wagging.

Unfortunately, tail mutilation can be a complicated problem to resolve - it often requires a combination of oral antibiotics, steroids, and pain medication such as gabapentin to allow the wound to heal while also keeping it wrapped to prevent further trauma from occurring. Often, part of the problem is that there may be an underlying reason why the tail chewing occurred in the first place - a skin condition, neurologic disorder such as lumbosacral stenosis, or an initial injury may have caused Zoey to begin mutilating her tail, and it's often a vicious cycle from there. In some dogs, this can also be a compulsive behavior associated with stress or anxiety. Without seeing a vet, all you will be able to do at home is keep the tail clean and loosely wrapped to prevent further damage, but Zoey will probably need prescription medications for it to heal. You may be able to find a low-cost SPCA clinic in your area who could help.

Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent further licking or chewing. Sometimes, there can be some clipper burn after a grooming which can cause some irritation. The image attach shows what appears to be a small mass or lump. To determine what it is, you will need to have Pepper physically examined by your veterinarian. A fine needle aspirate can be done in the clinic to collect samples for pathology. This may provide a diagnosis. In the meantime, the cone may be enough to allow for healing. Your vet can dispense antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatories if indicated.

While it is nearly impossible to say what the original cause of this irritation was, Molly now has a full-fledged lick dermatitis lesion on her tail. The best things you can do are the following: -Clip the area surrounding the lesion so now hair is touching the affected part -Scrub the area with antiseptic like chlorhexidine or dilute betadine -Apply a triple antibiotic ointment and a topical steroid ointment -Put an e collar on her to prevent further mutilation of the area -Treat for fleas / ticks if she is not already on something for this, as this the most common cause for lesions on the hind end and tail If you believe there is truly a lump beneath that infected area, you should have it looked by your veterinarian once the area has healed up so that appropriate diagnostics can be made if necessary. Hope this helps!

Poor Girl! Without seeing her in person, it is impossible for me to know what caused it. It could be fleas. Mange usually causes hairloss on other places like the feet and face. She likely has an infection from chewing. I would first put a cone collar on her to prevent the chewing. I would then start her on Benadryl twice a day to help decrease the itching. If it isn't improving, I would have your vet take a look. Your vet will likely want to put her on antibiotics and possibly stronger allergy meds to help it heal. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/