Why is my dog chewing his tail until it bleeds? What can I do?

Question

My dog has been chewing at the fur by his tail to the point he's chewed the fur off and is bleeding. I have a cone on him, and have bathed him in oatmeal and have a tea tree oil spray. I also give him fish oil supplements and joint vitamins as he's an older dog. He eats IAMS senior food. Can you tell me if there's a cause I should be looking for, or if there's anything else I can try? Pet's info: Dog | Greater Swiss Mountain Dog | Male | neutered | 85 lbs

Jyothi Alagappan · Accepted Answer

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would make sure Chuck Finley is on appropriate flea medication. I like the oral medications like bravecto (once every three months) or simparica (once every month). If he is on the right flea medication, then I worry that Chuck may have an environmental or food allergy. It is easier to treat environmental allergies first since food trials are tedious. I would recommend visiting your veterinarian and getting Chuck a full physical examination to ensure that he does not have a secondary infection needing antibiotics. If he does, then his skin issues will only get worse if not treated. Your vet can discuss medications that can help mitigate environmental allergies. If this does not help- then they can discuss the appropriate food to try for a food trial. Typically, animals allergic to the protein in the food. Therefore, a prescription food trial will be necessary. Good luck!

Why is my dog chewing his tail until it bleeds? What can I do?

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