Dog's tail tip hard, scabby, hurts. Could it be a wagging injury?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tato. Necrosis of the tail is a very serious condition that typically occurs after tail surgery or serious injury. He may have a scab on the end of his tail from repeating damaging from wagging it when he gets excited. Pit bulls can also be prone to an overgrowth of mites known as Demodex. This is usually bald or scabby lesions. Ringworm can also make a crusty lesion. While it is likely not a serious problem for him, it is best for him to see his veterinarian to know for sure. He should certainly be seen though if the lesion grows, bleeds or starts to bother him. I hope this information helps!

I don't see any swelling, which is good, the fact that she wags the tail normally is also a very good sign. there is probably no serious damage, at this point there is no reason to take her to the vet but i would recommend monitoring pain, the wagging (it's important that no part of the tail is dropped while wagged) and the swelling (this can start 24 hours after the damage. if you see any of those change please take her to the vet to get it checked.

Sometimes dogs can get what we refer to as 'happy tail'. This is where they wag their tail so much that they hit it on walls and furniture and it causes an injury. This looks like what may be going on with your dog. Although Diesel's looks pretty painful and like it may be infected. You could try using a topical antibiotic, like neosporin, and see if that helps. If there is no change I would recommend you take Diesel to the vet because he may need an oral antibiotic and the vet may choose to wrap the tail to keep it protected.

Very gently feel every bone in the spine starting at the neck towards the tail. Include the tail. Your dog may have injured its spine or tail. If there is a pain in the spinal cord (he may react at the area where he is in pain) then you should take him to the vet for an exam and treatment right away. If you cannot find a spot where it hurts, you may want to observe your dog and see whether it gets better and take him to the vet if does not improve or gets worse. Your vet will examine the spinal cord, do an x-ray to make sure there is no fracture or slipped disc, and give your dog a general exam in case the source of the pain is somewhere else (abdomen, muscles).

It could be King Midas has happy tail syndrome. This is when they wag their tail so vigorously that causes serious damage to the tip of the tail when they hit a hard service multiple times. The skin at or near the tip of the tail gets abraded so much so that it starts to bleed. I would take him into the vet for this problem. The vet can diagnose what is causing his bleeding, and if he does have happy tail syndrome, they can discuss treatment options. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

It is possible that she has a fracture, which is causing pain and difficulty moving her tail and sitting. An x-ray at the vet can confirm or rule out this injury. A tail and a shoe in the wrong places at the wrong times could certainly have caused it.

It’s hard to say if he tail is infected since it just looks crusty now with the treatment. It does look swollen. Test it for pain or being able to feel heat as this can indicate infection. If that is detected, try to get him into the veterinarian ASAP. Applying sterile petroleum jelly can also help condition the skin and promote healing. The biggest component is to prevent more trauma. He ears do not appear red or seem to have an excessive amount of debris so I would say that look normal to me. Definitely keep an eye on the ears for redness, odor or shaking the head as this indicates a problem. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.