Itchy Tail

Einstein the Great

New member
Jun 14, 2011
131
16
Fort Wayne, IN
Bulldog(s) Names
Einstein
Einstein's tail has been driving him nuts the past couple of days. He will just freak out all the sudden, run, and sit down really fast. He'll try to grind his booty on anything that's close by. The wall, your foot, anything. His tail is very tight. I clean it once a day with either a baby wipe or a preparation h wipe. Then I put this antibacterial/antifungal cream in this tail folds that I got from our vet. About an hour later I'll dry it with a cotton ball. Usually that does the trick. I think his anal glands need cleaned also. I'm taking him in Thursday for that. I'm sure that's not helping the matter. Is there anything else I should do. The vet has mentioned surgery on his tail but I really want to make that last resort. Also could it allergies making it flare up?
 

MissPennyLue

New member
Jun 20, 2011
534
39
Bulldog(s) Names
Penelope Lue (Penny)
I was thinking anal glads before you said it. Our other dog had this problem & he did the same exact thing. Is is scooting his bottom, too?
 

GatorRay

I am in total control....I think
Feb 25, 2011
3,432
227
Louisville, KY
Bulldog(s) Names
Gator & Lucy Goosey, the Basset and Gigi (AKA Gypsy)
My thought is that it is his anal glands. Could be the tail but I would lean toward the glands. Does his tail stink? That might be an indication that it is the tail. Oh, and I wouldn't let try to take a tail until I had more than one opinion.
 

ziviabell

New member
May 22, 2011
37
6
Orange County, CA
Bulldog(s) Names
Hershie
Same with mine...the vet suggested having her tail removed but I don't want to do that. I know it is a common problem with bullies, but their tail is part of their spine and I really don't want to mess with that, even if I have a great surgeon. So here's what I do, I clean her twice a day with a solution from my vet. I let it dry and then I put Gold Bond Powder there and that seems to do the trick. Hope that helps!
 

kazzy220

..........
Jul 31, 2010
8,556
441
Grafton, OHIO
Country
England
Bulldog(s) Names
Maggie (My Angel Baby 5/31/2012). Daddy (2 years). Linus (1year). Bella (4 years)
My immediate thoughts were anal glands or the tail pocket could be infected ...
 
OP
Einstein the Great

Einstein the Great

New member
Jun 14, 2011
131
16
Fort Wayne, IN
Bulldog(s) Names
Einstein
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #6
I was thinking anal glads before you said it. Our other dog had this problem & he did the same exact thing. Is is scooting his bottom, too?

Yeah I hope that is all it is. He hasn't been scooting but I'm not quite sure if he's figured that one out....thank goodness!
 
OP
Einstein the Great

Einstein the Great

New member
Jun 14, 2011
131
16
Fort Wayne, IN
Bulldog(s) Names
Einstein
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #7
My thought is that it is his anal glands. Could be the tail but I would lean toward the glands. Does his tail stink? That might be an indication that it is the tail. Oh, and I wouldn't let try to take a tail until I had more than one opinion.

His booty does stink that why I thought it was his anal glands. The last time he had his anal glands cleaned we just went to our local vet that we just got to minor things bc our "bulldog" vet is about a 45 min. drive. Well the techs did it and the girl was having a hard time maybe because his tail is so tight, but he had blood in his stool for about a week. We took him back in because we were concerned and the vet said nothing was torn...just irritated. So I'm going to take him to our regular vet and have him do it. Hopefully it'll be fine this time and take care of the itchiness!
 

KMARINO

I couldn't make this sh*t up if I tried!
Jul 21, 2010
7,219
728
Bradenton Fl.
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
VEGAS and REBEL
Your symptoms seems very familiar to me, Vegas has to have his anal glands done about every 5 weeks. How do I know? He starts doing the booty scoot across my rug! He can not just have them expressed, he actually has to have them internally expressed by our Vet. It is not a pleasant experience for either one of us but what a difference it makes for him! Hopefully this will be an easy fix for you and you don't have to deal with any infections that may be going on.
 

Davidh

Head Pooper Scooper
Staff member
Mar 21, 2011
13,407
848
Katy, Texas
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
BeBe, Hazel, Lucy Lu, JLO, Hillary, Henri, & Katie
does sound like either tail pocket infected or anal glands. Also our Lucy Lu had a tail that was tight and started to give her problems so our vet removed the bone in the tail that was giving her problems. Her tail looks the same and does not give her problems any longer.
 

luvdogz

New member
Apr 28, 2011
73
10
sorry to be the negative here but i'm betting it's the tail pocket. Put your finger deep into the pocket and then smell it when you bring it out. If it is awful-smelling, then you have a pocket problem.

Really though - other than the expense involved, i don't think the tail amputation is very risky and i would recommend it. I've not seen ONE post on the web that their tail amp surgery went bad -only that it was the best thing they did for their dog. Me included as we did it in June.

How would you feel if you had a bad itch in your bum and you couldn't scratch it very well????
 

luvdogz

New member
Apr 28, 2011
73
10
our vet removed the bone in the tail that was giving her problems. Her tail looks the same and does not give her problems any longer.

David, is this removal of bone different than a tail amputation?

If so, could you elaborate on this procedure?
 

cowsmom

..........
Apr 27, 2011
6,996
384
Virginia
Country
usa
Bulldog(s) Names
Sarah aka cow
could be anal glands and since you are getting that done already then I wont comment on that. I will tell you that i used to use baby wipes to clean sarah tailpocket and then tolnaftate or clotrimazole in it afterward. Worked ok and ive tried powder but sometimes it seemed to kinda gunk up in the pocket and not sure it did any good so stopped that. I now use mal-a-ket wipes in her tailpocket. Anti-fungal and anit-bacterial and they work very well. I also use an antifungal shampoo on her pocket and back when i bath her. Hope everything gets better after the glands are cleaned out.
 

Davidh

Head Pooper Scooper
Staff member
Mar 21, 2011
13,407
848
Katy, Texas
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
BeBe, Hazel, Lucy Lu, JLO, Hillary, Henri, & Katie
David, is this removal of bone different than a tail amputation?

If so, could you elaborate on this procedure?

He called it a tail amputation but left the skin there so it still looks like a tail. I don't know how the other vets do it, you may have to ask them. Hopefully they do it the same way.
 

tpf0612

New member
Jun 23, 2011
24
17
Salado, TX
Bulldog(s) Names
Sam
Sam has the same issue, the vet checked his anal glands and they were fine. Asked the Vet about his tail and if that was the problem, cuz I really didnt want to have it amputated, we love Sam's lil "CINNABUN" she said that the way his tail was it would be bad as far in as it was to his spine. She suggested Gold bond for it. Tried it and so far so good, no rubbin his hiney all over the rug
 

Sherry

New member
Jan 15, 2011
5,183
477
Denver PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Jack , Dolly, Grizz, Peggy Sue, and Scrimps
If anyone is interested in doing there own anal glands, they are located at 5 and 7 o'clock. They are about the size of marbles, using a paper towel or two, to catch the goop, gently grasp and squeeze the marbles together quickly. Like a pinch. They will release a grey colored goop. Do this twice. That should empty them til next time.
 

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