Dog chewing tail after haircut, has open bleeding sores. Help!

You’re right that it can be hard to tell if the cuts came first or after the licking started. It’s possible that the skin was irritated (we call it clipper burn) after grooming, and since dogs lick areas that are uncomfortable, it makes the whole situation worse. The best thing to do is to prevent Pepper from licking anymore. He can wear an e-collar/come for a few days. If the skin isn’t looking better 24 hours after wearing the cone, it may need medications so Pepper should get checked out by his vet.

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!

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.

Tail wounds are difficult to heal. You are doing a good job but need to place her in a cone to stop the licking and chewing. The wound can’t heal with constant irritation. I also would check her for fleas to make sure that isn’t the reason she started the chewing, and also you may want to have her anal sacs checked since if they are full they can cause itching in this area. Your veterinarian can also prescribe medication to control the itch and inflammation and antibiotics if they feel the area is infected. Be patient and continue with your treatment and this will heal in time. A tail amputation is a serious surgery and she would probably chew the incision and make a sore so you wouldn’t be any better off than you are now. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Leia.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Storm. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian. He may have a skin infection known as a hot spot. His veterinarian will examine him and then prescribe medications to help him feel better. If this is a recurrent issue for him, then longterm management strategies should be discussed. In the meantime, place an E-collar on him to prevent any further licking. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Moka. I recommend placing an E-collar on her to start. This will stop her from licking the wound. Then she will need to see her veterinarian. You want to make sure that the entire tick was fully removed. The veterinarian will decide if any treatment is necessary. I would start her back on flea and tick prevention when you are able to do so. I hope this information helps!

Lesions like this could be for many things including fleas, trauma or bacterial infection. You must protect the area from licking and Allura should wear an Elizabethan collar at all times. You can wash the area and let it air dry. Otherwise no action is generally needed. If she continues itching, have her examined by the veterinarian to look for underlying causes. I hope this helps.