Chasing, Chewing Tail May Indicate Serious Problem

Q: For the past several weeks, our 2-year-old Yorkie has been chasing his tail or scooting on the carpet. We have checked him for fleas and have seen none. He will sometimes chew on his tail or back although we can’t seem to find any reason. What do you think could be the cause? We frequently use a flea spray to get rid of any fleas that we might see. Could this be irritating his back? There aren’t any sores yet, but he has pulled out some of the hair.

R.L. Saunger, Stanton

A: Young, active puppies and dogs might chase their tails for fun or as a form of play; however, if your dog is chewing out his hair coat or dragging his rectum on the carpet, there may be a more serious problem. Have your dog’s anal sacs checked for impaction. It might be that these anal sacs are becoming infected. You should also have his rectal area checked for tapeworm segments that may have dried on the coat.

Other possibilities are dried feces that have clung to the coat, topical parasites such as fleas or mites, or a skin infection caused by a wound or trauma. Dogs with flea-allergy dermatitis will chew on their lower backs and tail base since this is the common area where fleas tend to gather. If the spray is causing his skin to be irritated, you may need to switch to a different spray or use a powder to control fleas.

Occasionally, dogs develop pain or increased sensitivity in the lower part of the back or tail base, either from arthritis or inflammation of the nerves. In these cases, anti-inflammatory drugs may be necessary to relieve the condition, although it may not completely heal the problem or source.