Why is my dog biting his hair off his lower back and tail ? The lower part of his back is raw and has no hair on it. Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | unneutered | 3 years and 9 months old | 80 lbs

The area that Tobias is bothered by is almost universally associated with flea allergy dermatitis. If he is not on a flea medication or preventative, he should be placed on one as soon as possible. In order to get the itchiness under control, he may benefit from a medication that has an antihistamine or steroidal property. An e-collar or t-shirt should also be placed on him to prevent any further damage to his skin. Depending on how raw the skin of the back is, he may also require an antibiotic to allow for appropriate healing. If the flea infestation is bad enough, it can cause a systemic anemia as well as other health problems as a result.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Kage most likely has allergy that makes the skin very itchy. Flea bite allergy most often results in itching in this area. Please, take Kage to your local vets to get flea treatment for him as well as a course of antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatory medications.

Why is my dog biting his lower back and tail until it's raw and bald?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Why is my dog biting his hair off his lower back and tail ? The lower part of his back is raw and has no hair on it

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS 102

Veterinarian

Published on May 21st, 2017

Poor Tobias! Thank you for providing pictures of his back. This behavior is commonly caused by flea, and if he isn't up to date on his flea medications, I can give you a flea treatment program for him. First, I would give him Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash his bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. If Tobias is up to date on his flea treatment, then he could be suffering from allergies or mites causing his symptoms and I recommend taking him into the vet for an exam tomorrow. The vet can do blood tests and skin scrapings allergies and mites. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment.

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Why is my dog biting his lower back and tail until it's raw and bald?

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