Another Tail Pocket Thread

[LoveMyBullyBoy]

So I've been really trying to keep Gravy's tail pocket good & clean b/c a couple weeks ago he acted like it was bothering him. It's not all that deep & he has never seemed to have much problem with it before. The only thing I could figure was maybe it had something to do with changing their food from Purina to Taste of the Wild. Anywho, it doesn't appear to be infected or even really all that irritated. But he cries when I clean the under side of it. I don't know if it's really tight under there & it hurts, but he even does it when I use a q-tip. I definitely can't use my finger or even anything the size of a gauze pad. He's totally fine with me touching & cleaning the top part. I know i need to keep it clean & dry, but how am I supposed to do that when it clearly hurts him for whatever reason? I've tried to get back there & look closer to see what might be going on, but he doesn't want any part of the bottom of his tail pocket being messed with at all. And yes, I've smelled the area & it doesn't smell bad or anything. Should I just leave it alone unless/until there's a problem?

 

[Ronnette Davis Arnold]

My bullie never had a problem until this summer. He is almost 4. I never cleaned his pocket. I noticed when he was walking back inside a few months ago that he looked a little red. I took him to the vet and he had an infection in the tail pocket. He never has liked anyone to touch his butt. The vet barely could get a look. I doubt it is the food, unless he is having loose stools. My Winchester has a tight tail also and HATED me cleaning it at first. After the antibiotics kicked in he didn't mind so much. I clean the pocket every day and he actually wants me to clean it. I understand that it can get itchy. He never smelled or showed any kind of change other then the slight redness. Your guy could have a little infection going on in there that you can't see.

 

[cali baker]

Since Gravy's seems to experience some pain when you try to clean inside the pocket, it may be a good idea to have the vet take a peek. I know i've dug pretty deep inside my boys' pockets and tho they don't really enjoy the experience, they tolerate it and don't cry.

 

[theparrisfive]

i keep seeing threads about tail pockets. I'm going to sound like a complete idiot but i keep asking myself every time i see these threads "what are they talking about" soo sorry to ask on your thread and i really hope that your pup will be fine and its nothing too serious. so here it is what is a tail pocket and does every bully have one? sorry i sound stupid but i never read anything about this on all the stuff Ive read although i will admit Ive never searched "tail pocket" :/. Tanks my first dog /bully and will be a year old the 16th... yea i know i should've found out sooner, I'm a bad mommy . Tank has a very small tail and its not twirly or anything its straight down. its so short it dont even cover his buthole :/. sorry to be so visual. but is this something we need to be worrying about???

 

[Sarah]

that is a fabulous question. i'm not really sure either, from what i gather it is an indentation under the tail but above the butthole. i don't think Brooke has one, if that description is true.

 

[theparrisfive]

that is a fabulous question. i'm not really sure either, from what i gather it is an indentation under the tail but above the butthole. i don't think Brooke has one, if that description is true.

It makes me feel a whole lot better that Im not the only one clued in on this :/. Tank should've came with a manual from everything Ive been reading in this forum since i joined lol! Glad we found this forum!! If that's what it is i don't think tank has one

 

[bullmama]

A tail pocket is an actual 'cave' that is under the tail. Some bullies have them, some do not. The only way to know is to stick your finger along the base of the tail and if it is butt then tail, your bully does not have one.

Below is a picture of Jesse side view. She does NOT have a tail pocket at all, but if she did I kinda drew in to the best of my ability what it may look or at least feel like. I hope it helps, in the meantime maybe someone can sketch us up a nice tail pocket on a bully? Any artists out there?

They also vary in degree. Some have deep caves while others just have small ones.

 

[theparrisfive]

Tank has a kinda deep indention right at the base of his tail underneath about to my first nuckle deep. so is that the "tail pocket" then? if so how often do you need to clean to prevent infections and what is best to use?

 

[theparrisfive]

theres the pic. thats about where it is on tank. his tail is about half the size of your puppy dogs. his is very very short. so wondering if it will be a issue?

 

[theparrisfive]

I really hope gravy gets to where he let's you take care of it. Poor pup I couldn't imagine .

Sent from my SPH-M910 using Tapatalk

 

[Vicaroo1000]

[MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION]: LOVE the diagram!!!!

Bo doesn't have one but Bea has a deep little pit back there. Since she was a puppy, part of the routine has been to stick a Malaket wipe on my finger and "roto rooter" that pocket back there. Since she got treats for this as a puppy, when I say, "Let's get some medicine" (regardless of what treatment is going to happen), she follows me into the laundry room where the "dog drawer" is and off we go.