My dog is down, chewing his tail raw, and shaking. Should I go to ER?

Question

My dog hasn't been himself, very down, and his tail isn't up and wagging and he has started chewing his tail like crazy and has a complete raw bald spot on it now. He also shakes/shivers a lot all of a sudden. I'm getting really concerned and we scheduled a vet appt for later in the week but wondering if we should take him to the Emergency Vet. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 30 lbs

Rodrigo Roca, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, sorry to hear about Bolt. It does appear that he is very itchy near his rear end. The most common cause for this is actually flea allergy dermatitis. This is a hypersensitivity to flea saliva that causes dogs to become very itchy, can cause lethargy, anxiety, innapetence, excessive panting. and restlessness. The condition is very uncomfortable for pets and if Bolt is feeling very uneasy then it may be worth while to have him seen by a veterinarian tonight so that they may administer anti-flea medications with a fast kill and something to stop the allergic reaction to the flea saliva. If Bolt is not too uncomfortable, then placing an e-collar on him so that he may not lick or scratch and having seen by his primary care veterinarian tomorrow is also acceptable. In addition to this, you will need to place all of your pets on year round flea control and treat their environment with anti-flea products. Hope this helps and best of luck.

My dog is down, chewing his tail raw, and shaking. Should I go to ER?

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