How to stop my German Shepherd from licking his tail until it bleeds?

Question

My boyfriend and I have a german shepherd. He is a sweet, loving dog, but we cannot figure out why he licks his tail nonstop! He licks it to the point the hair is gone on the end of the tail and it bleeds. We have been told to try Benadryl and it did slow it down to an extent, but still happens. My boyfriend has tried a spray in the past, but still has not made the issue dissipate. Any other suggestions? Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | neutered | 3 years and 1 month old | 90 lbs

Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH · Accepted Answer

I'm so sorry that you are dealing with this. The first step is to determine if Duke is chasing and chewing at his tail due to itching. If not, then it may actually be an obsessive/compulsive type of behavior. So, the first step I would recommend would be having your vet examine the skin on his tail to determine if they suspect there is something physical going on with his skin. This may involve them doing some simple skin tests or trying some more potent anti-itching medication since Benadryl has helped a little. They may also check his anal glands and anus region since German Shepherd can have some additional problems there. Don't forget that the tail base if the most common area that we will see dogs chew if they have a flea allergy (even if you never see fleas), so make sure that Duke is on a monthly flea preventative. If your vet is unable to find a physical cause or resolve the chewing, then it might be worth trying medication for a possible behavioral component. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that you are able to find a solution. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

How to stop my German Shepherd from licking his tail until it bleeds?

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