If your dog is incessantly biting his tail he may have some type of parasite infestation according to Dogster. A flea tick or other parasite infestation can cause your dog to chase their tail in order to bite or scratch it.
A dog chasing its tail may be a sign of a direr issue.
Why does my dog chase his tail. Sometimes dogs chew their tails because theyre bored or curious about their tail. Other times a dog chewing their tail can be a sign of something more serious. Here are a few of the most common.
If your dog is obsessively chasing his tail your vet can check to see if there is an infection a spinal abnormality or other medical issue causing the action. Fleas and ticks are common reasons that your dog might chase their tail and biting their back end. The pesty parasites can cause irritation to the base of your dogs tail causing them to seem like they are chasing their tail when really they are just trying to bite their back end.
Making sure that your dog is up to date on their flea and tick medications will help keep these bugs off your pouch. Some dogs may develop a compulsive disorder that involves chasing their tail. These kinds of behavioral problems can come about for many reasons confinement physical abuse past injury or trauma separation anxiety and so on and need to be addressed.
If your dog is compulsively chasing his tail he can cause serious damage by biting and chewing on it when he finally does catch it. An obsessive dog suffering from separation anxiety may chase his tail to help calm himself while his owner is gone. Or your dog may chase his tail when he feels overcome with anxiety when a stranger approaches the house or during a loud thunderstorm.
In some cases tail-chasing may also be a form of idiopathic epilepsy says Dr. Jennifer Coates a veterinarian in Fort Collins Colorado. A flea tick or other parasite infestation can cause your dog to chase their tail in order to bite or scratch it.
Visit your veterinarian for treatment options if you notice your dog biting. If your dog is chasing his tail because of an anxiety disorder the best thing you can do is work closely with your vet to develop a treatment plan since its a serious condition and can worsen if not treated. And if hes chasing it because of medical reasons or physical discomfort youll still need to have your vet check him out because his treatment will all depend on what his actual diagnosis is.
If you have noticed your dog chasing his tail to the point that it interrupts normal life be sure to contact your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can help figure out if your dog is trying to self soothe and may be able to make his life better with medications to avoid him needing to chase his tail. If you ask any dog owner the common consensus when a dog chases his tail is that he is bored.
But like everything with our canine companions there is a little more to this behavior. Firstly bored dogs will chase their tail. For those that are wondering why do dogs chase their tails weve put together this guide to tell you the most common reasons and when you should seek help from your vet.
Why do dogs chase their tails. There are numerous reasons why your dog may chase their tail from boredom to something more serious like an injury. Its always best to.
If your dog seems to be chasing her tail out of boredom it might be a good idea to figure out why exactly she is bored. While it is not necessarily harmful for a dog to chase her tail when she is bored it can be a sign that she is not getting enough exercise or being mentally stimulated enough. Fleas dermatitis and impacted anal glands can all cause your dog to compulsively bite and chew on the base of their tail.
If theres a clear cause treating the problem will generally stop the tail biting. You may need to let your vet take a look to help you diagnose the problem. If your dog is incessantly biting his tail he may have some type of parasite infestation according to Dogster.
Such parasites may take the forms of fleas ticks or worms or a combination of pests. The base of the tail is an area along with the back of the head where fleas tend to congregate. A dog chasing its tail may be a sign of a direr issue.
Like humans dogs can suffer from a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder called canine compulsive di.