So Brick has picked a bunch of fur from his tail again
Not sure what made him do it this time. But he's not happy right now. He keeps going to his tail and chewing on it and licking it. He now has a bunch of hotspots along the back of his tail. He's lightly growling and whining at the same time as well, especially if he can't get back to his tail. I put his cone back on but he's really hating it this time. He's been pretty restless and he's keeping me up at night because he can't settle down. It's driving me nuts! So I wondered if I could use some first aid spray on his tail to cool & soothe it. They have benzocaine and triclosan in them. The bottle says "for external use only". Even with his cone, he can still get to part of his tail. What do you all think? My vet wants to sell me a steroidal anti- inflamatory spray for $31. Seems pricey to me. I have given him benedryl last night and this evening to help. Should I try the first aid spray or not? If not, what can I do for him tonight to soothe his tail? Thanks. |
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| Do you mean a real tail? I know some sheepies have real tails thes days and not just the stub...Is it just the stub? We used a spray from the Vet called Dermacool or something. It was for my female who has been suffering from a UTI and licking and itching galore. The stuff worked well. But I would be sure its not infected...And I only know about docked tails, not real ones  |
| Is it towards the base of his tail? Firstly check and make sure no fleas, they can happen all year around so firstly check you cant see any flea dirt on his skin. Secondly if towards the base of his tail the problem then google "Stud Tail" it afflicts cats and dogs to do with the gland in the tail. If you suspect that then a simple remedy is washing in a anti-dandruff shampoo (suggested on sites Selsun Blue) the area affected to take away the oil secreation of the gland or dabbing the area affected with "Witch hazel" which dries it up and settles it down without hair loss. Stud tail if you look at the skin in the area that is annoying them, raised and you can see little pimple like marks on the skin or even like little like black head spots happening. Something is annoying him if you dont suspect "Stud Tail" then maybe a suggestion of washing the tail in "Malaseb" which is an anti-fungal/bacterial shampoo and helps in case of yeast or dermal problems like an allergy happening.  |
Ashley wrote: Do you mean a real tail? I know some sheepies have real tails thes days and not just the stub...Is it just the stub? We used a spray from the Vet called Dermacool or something. It was for my female who has been suffering from a UTI and licking and itching galore. The stuff worked well. But I would be sure its not infected...And I only know about docked tails, not real ones Brick is an airedale terrier. Their tails are generally docked to about 6 inches or so. I hate dealing with hot spots. I've had limited success dealing with them at home, but you must keep them dry. Trim the hair very short around them for better air circulation and I'd find something to put over the tail-a tube sock? (This is coming from the lady who has put panties, shorts, shirts, and nylons on her sheepies to keep them from scratching though  .) The worse his hot spots get, the more they irritate Brick, the more Brick chews on them, the worse and more hot spots he gets...you can see the never-ending cycle. If they are already beyond your control, I'd take him to the vet. They are basically open sores that can infected very easily. Oliver had a hot spot 2 years ago that seemingly appeared overnight. I got home from work and could literally smell it when he greeted me at the door. It flared up so badly during the day that we rushed to the vet immediately. A steroid shot, antibiotics, and more steroids taken at home were needed to clear it up.  to Brick and good luck to you! |
| We get something called Betagen Topical Spray from the vet for Oscar's skin issues, and it works really well. It contains Gentamicin (antibiotic) and an anti-inflammatory, so it kills most critters on the skin and settles things down too, breaking the cycle. Laurie and Oscar |
| I bought a small bottle of hydrocortisone spray. It says that's it relieves itching and soothes skin irritations. So we'll give that a try. I'm just a little bit annoyed with the vets. They say; "put a cone on him and keep him quiet, maybe give a benadryl." When I asked them if I could use the human first aid spray, they said they didn't know. Then they offered to see him, that they couldn't say anything until they saw him. I'm thinking, I'm sure this happens alot to people's dogs and they can't give a standard treatment over the phone? And why doesn't there seem to be a standard treatment? Why can't they or why don't they recommend an over the counter aid? And it wasn't just my vet. I called the 2 animal hospitals last night and they wouldn't tell me anything except that I could bring him in. I just don't get it. |
In fairness to the vets you called, all boo-boos are not created equal. If they gave you advice over the phone without at a minimum seeing Brick, and he had an adverse event because of it, the vet could be sued. And I'm sure it also has something to do with the little fee they charge you for a visit as well.  I know it's frustrating. Trust me. Oscar's second home is the vet's office, either for an IBD flare-up or for a drug resistant infection. He always has to have blood tests or skin scrapings in order to proceed with his treatment...cha-ching...cha-ching! The meds ALONE for his last bout of Pseudamonas were over $450. Oscar is not a cheap date.  Laurie and Oscar |
| Well I thought his tail was getting better. He didn't bother it much at the Nationals. But today he went bananas on it. He can't get to much of it with the cone on, just the tip. But he got it to bleed. I'm going to take him to the vet tomorrow morning. But I will punch someone in the face if they don't give me a good solution to this problem. I do not want to hear; "put a cone on him", "give him a benadryl", or "use some steroid spray". I've done all that. It's not working. I'm actually pretty angry right now. Seems to me this should be a simple fix (can't be the first time they've seen a dog nibble and lick at it's tail) but I feel like I'm just getting generic, baloney answers. |
| if you are that unhappy with your vet, maybe its time to look for a new one? Our first vet seemed fine, but really dropped the ball when Tonks and Luna were still small. So i searched and found a new on that I have been in love with ever since. |
| Ya know, Allison, I was thinking the exact same thing. Especially after the ear cleaning blunder back in July. I wanted his ears flushed out and cleaned all the way in because of a pretty good ear infection. I also asked them to clean his teeth and cut & round his nails when he was out. They did a nice job with his teeth & nails but a terrible job with his ear. I noticed the next day that it wasn't any better. I called them back and they told me they were clean when he left. BS. There is no way an infection could bloom like that in 12 hours. Then they told me I could come in to pick up medicine for 50 bucks so I could do it myself. I was thinking, what did I just pay you for? The whole reason I brought him in because he was fighting me tooth & nail whenever I got near his ear. I needed help & felt like I didn't get it. And now with his tail. I don't like when I call with a medical question that I can't speak with the vet. The people in the front seem very nice, but they're not vets. I don't think they should be giving advice nor do I feel comfortable taking it from them. I want to speak with the vet. But the hard part of leaving is that I like his vet. She's looked after Brick since we first got him (minus my life out in St. Louis). I bet she has no idea about what the front end is telling me. I don't know. |
| I am not sure if this would work, but I have used tea tree oil on my horses where they scratch. They have a tendency to get what are called scratches which basically is due to moisture which stays in their long hair near the ankle area. They can get secondary infections in these as well. Basically the oil conditions the skin which has dried out from going to wet to dry to wet over a few days of being in the pasture. Is Brick's skin intact or inflamed? Is there a possible infection there that is bothering him?? The tea tree oil can be bought at your local feed store and it is safe for humans and animals. |
| Could it be flea bite dermatitis? Dogs get a sensitivity to fleas and one bite sends them into distress. The base of the tail is often an affected area. I feel your pain and frustration.  It's been a long journey in figuring out Bumble's problem. Until we can find the cause so we can take steps to lessen or eliminate the trigger, the symptoms can only be suppressed with oral or topical meds. Sometimes that's the best we can hope for when dealing with an allergy, if this is one.Hoping you can get some answers and a quick fix. |
| I brought him to the vet on Saturday, where the vet gave him a steroid injection and then gave me a oral antibiotic and a topical antibiotic. He's not going after it as much as he was last week but he plucked a good amount of hair out of his tail since this began. I give him the oral antibiotic with dinner and put the ointment on his tail twice a day. He doesn't really like when I get to the tip, where he did the most damage (scabbed over now). I also give him a Benadryl in the morning before I leave for work (along with the cone) and another before we go to bed. I don't think it's fleas. He's never had them before, he's never in a place where fleas would be, I use the flea & tick preventative every month, he never scratches anywhere else, and when I had him at the groomers last week, she never mentioned any signs of fleas. She did suggest the tea tree oil. Probably shouldn't use it now as I'm using the topical antibiotic. Plus his skin has just started to scab over. It was bleeding on Friday night. That stuff might sting an open cut or raw skin. I really think it was a mosquito bite. The day before he started this, I walked to a different part of the park (to get a look at that accident that I described in that other thread) with him. I noticed that the mosquitoes were much worse there than they were in the fenced part of the park. I would bet that one bit him on the tail and that started the whole thing. He normally doesn't do stuff like this. The first time was over the winter when that other groomer gave him clipper burn on his tail and now. That's it. |
| While you were there, did you talk to the vet about your frustrations? I know I would, for sure. My bet is you're right, he doesn't know what you've been told by the front staff/vet techs. If he doesn't know, he can't fix anything. Now if he does and it continues, then I'd find a new vet. I hope the new meds help!! |
Quote: I don't think it's fleas. Ok. Quote: He keeps going to his tail and chewing on it and licking it. He now has a bunch of hotspots along the back of his tail. You might ask if you can keep a bottle of Neo-Predef Powder on hand in case the hot spots happen again. It requires a "wet" wound in order to adhere. It's really wonderful stuff. I've also used it successfully just before a hot spot forms... you know how they lick and it's red and looks irritated... and it's prevented the hot spot form forming. But it doesn't stick very well. Catch it early, shave the hair surrounding the hot spot, wash the area with soap and water, pat dry, gently puff some of the powder on the wound (it will stick to anything wet) and ALWAYS use a barrier for at least a couple of days to prevent them from doing any more licking/damage. I apply the powder 2-3 times a day. You may find washing the area once a day is helpful but don't disturb the healing process if it's looking good. I swear every time I have a dog that has had an IV, the area they shave down develops a problem because it itches and the dog licks.  I have no problems with the incisions!! Kobuck started to get an irritation on his leg from licking it... Neo-Predef worked again. I use a sock for a barrier for feet/legs along with supervision. Neo-Predef is an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anesthetic... and it's topical. http://www.pfizerah.com/product_overvie ... species=CN Quote: Neo-Predef with Tetracain is a combination of three drugs: neomycin, isoflupredone, and tetracaine. Neomycin is an antibiotic, isoflupredone is a corticosteroid, and tetracaine is a topical anesthetic. This combination of the three active ingredients work together at the site of infection or wound to kill bacteria, provide anesthetic relief, and to decrease inflammation. Isoflupredone has a potent anti-inflammatory effect and works blocking the production of substances that trigger allergic and inflammatory actions. Tetracaine has a numbing effect on the nerves in the area applied, to reduce discomfort. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... atid=10024 Hoping Brick will love his tail again soon |
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