What causes a swollen area and blister near my dog's tail?

I would recommend that you have it checked out by a vet. From just your description, what you may be seeing could be a perianal fistula, an abscess, and infected anal gland, a rectal prolapse, a wound caused by scooting or excessive licking, etc. Prevent Roscoe from licking, and if you see him scooting then he may need to wear a doggie diaper to prevent further damage to the area. If you can take a picture and attach it to a new post, we may be able to help you a bit more.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Bodhi seems irritated by his hind end and is licking back there. Based off your description and the pictures, Bodhi may have inflamed, infected, and/or impacted anal glands. The anal glands are two small glands located on either side of the anus, at approximately 4 and 8 o'clock (if the anus was a clock face). Normally, a small amount of secretion of these anal glands is expressed when a dog poops. However, some dogs can experience a blockage of the ducts of the glands, causing them to become obstructed and very swollen and irritating. I recommend bringing Bodhi to your veterinarian at their next available appointment. Your veterinarian can try to express his anal glands and relieve this pressure. Your veterinarian should do a thorough rectal exam to ensure there are no other irregularities present. In the meantime, if you have one at home, Bodhi should wear an Elizabethan collar (cone collar) to prevent him from licking this area and increasing the risk of infection. If left untreated, anal glands can become abscessed and actually rupture through the skin. I hope this is helpful!

Based on the location I would guess that this might be the draining tract from an anal gland abscess. Anal glands can become impacted or infected and an abscess can form that ruptures to the skin. You should see a veterinarian who can confirm the diagnosis and prescribe antibiotics and pain or anti-inflammatory medication as needed. Sedation to flush the glands might be required.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. I do recommend having him evaluated. He may have a ulcer or wound there, but there is more serious disease known as a perianal fistula. You will want him to receive treatment and ensure this is not the case. In the meantime, place an E-collar on him if he is trying to lick the area. I hope this information helps!

That is good that it does not appear painful. Swelling at the base of the tail can be related to a tumor, a fat pad or less commonly- cellulitis due to infection or congestion of the blood vessels. To know for sure, you would need to see a veterinarian so they can palpate the area. They may recommend to collect a small sample of cells to look at under the microscope to get a better diagnosis. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction. Please feel free to post any additional questions!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to allergies, especially flea allergy dermatitis based on the location though other types of allergy cannot be ruled out. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

These skin changes are from licking and probably scooting or rubbing this area on the floor. This can be from Josie's anal sacs being full causing the area to be itchy. Anal sacs are on each side of the anus, they are like scent glands in a skunk. They have a foul smelling fluid in them. Normally when a dog defecates some fluid is discharged. If the sac opening becomes clogged the fluid can build up causing pressure, itchiness and often dogs will scoot on their rears. Sometimes they get infected and the area will become red, painful and puss may rupture through the skin. Having full anal sacs is more common with small dogs like Josie. Your veterinarian can manually express the fluid and give the dog relief. Some dogs need to have their annals expressed every few months. The skin under the tail should improve once the rubbing and irritation stop. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Josie.