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My dog has a bald spot on his tail. What's the cause and treatment?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Rat Terrier | Male | neutered | 2 years and 8 months old | 25 lbs

my dog has a small bald patch on his tail he does not appear to be licking or biting it, what treatment can i get to restore his hair on the bald spot

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 6th, 2017

A bald spot could be caused by allergies, skin infection, mites, ringworm, etc. You could bath him with a medicated dog shampoo and see if that helps. If not, have your vet examine him to determine the cause. He may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, corticosteroid, or other medications to help treat the problem. You could also add Free Form Snip Tips to his diet and see if that helps to keep his skin and coat healthy.

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2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

    Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

    Published on December 15th, 2018

    Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This lesion you describe could potentially be something like an abscess or skin infection for example. However, other things are possible. I recommend that you have Smudge evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. If an abscess was noted, further local therapy with drainage and antibiotics would be recommended. Good luck and best wishes!

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    Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 13th, 2020

    You can try using this Vetericyn Hot Spray on the affected area. If after a week of using it, the lesion is not looking better your vet should check him. It could be an abrasion/injury, it could be ringworm, it could be eosinophilic granuloma complex..... I can't tell you for sure just by looking at a photo. You will also need to get him a cone collar to stop her from licking it. As long as she licks it, it will not heal. petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-hot-spot-antimicrobial-gel-for-dogs amazon.com/s?k=elizabethan+collar+for+cats&crid=2Q0YY66ZKLO7W&sprefix=elizabethan+%2Caps%2C624&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_12

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    Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on May 26th, 2019

    It is very hard to know what caused this but it could be just an injury. I wouldn't be overly concerned about this right now. I suggest you just apply a topical antibiotic ointment/cream twice a day and if after a week or so it doesn't start to look better you should have your vet check him out. Best wishes!

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Hi my 9 year old pug has developed a bit of a bald patch on her tail She's fit and well so just curious for an opinion as why this could appear
That lesion on Lily could be several things including fleas, allergies, skin mites, bacterial infection, ringworm (which humans can get) or endocrine disease. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesion once a day (not her whole body, just the lesion). Also protect the area from trauma by having your pup wear an elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesion is not improving within a week or if it is getting worse, have her examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
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Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Possible causes for hair loss on the tail are: fleas, demodex mites, ring worm or a bacterial skin infection. I would have him on Nexgard to cover for fleas and demodex. You can try a medicated shampoo, bathe 2 times per week and leave the lather on the area for 10 mins before rinsing. If there is no regrowth or improvement in 2 weeks I would have your Vet examine the area. There is a scent gland on the tail and hair loss can occur at that location but I usually see that in older dogs. Also you can always post a picture here. Good luck! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27307
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Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This may be due to allergies, especially flea allergy dermatitis based on the location though other types of allergy cannot be ruled out. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then y
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