Why is my dog's tail base sensitive, bald, and painful to touch?

Question

My dog Nala use to bite down & scratch this area right at her lower back/beginning her tail. This area has a little bald spot now, however I do not see her biting or scratching the area anymore. Now, if I rub her back or scratch her back & get close to this area, she’ll growl, jerk away, & let me know this area is sensitive, DO NOT TOUCH. Can you please tell me what’s caused this area of irritation & why it’s so sensitive to the touch? Here are a couple of pictures for you to examine. Thank you. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 5 years and 2 months old | 20 lbs

Catherine Stecyk · Accepted Answer

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach, and thank you for the pictures! The lower back/base of the tail is a classic area for a flea infestation. Fleas make dogs incredibly itchy, causing them to bite or scratch at the area, and cause hair loss. This area can get very sensitive and painful to dogs. I recommend bringing Nala to your veterinarian at their next available appointment to have her examined. Your vet can do a test to check for fleas, and can perform a skin scrape to see if there are any other external parasites such as mites or lice, or a secondary bacterial infection, that may be contributing to her itching. Nala should be on a consistent flea and tick preventative that can be purchased from your veterinarian. We do NOT recommend using flea and tick products that can be purchased from a food or pet store, as these are not safe or effective for use in dogs. There are no effective "natural" or holistic flea and tick preventatives, either. I hope this is helpful - best of luck with Nala!

Why is my dog's tail base sensitive, bald, and painful to touch?

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