General Question How to clean an inverted tail?

[Valentine215]

My Bully, Petunia Belle, has an inverted tail (not sure if that is the actual way to say it). A lot of dirt gets trapped in there making it smelly and itchy and then she is trying to scratch it and she looks so sad. However, when I try to clean it, she runs off and thus her tail never gets cleaned properly or enough.

Does anyone know of a way to clean this? I thought that the cloth I was using was too cold so I used warm water but she just doesn't like it.

 

[Davidh]

You can use some witch hazel on a cotton swab or makeup pad to clean her tail pocket. You may have to get someone to help you hold her.

 

[Valentine215]

You can use some witch hazel on a cotton swab or makeup pad to clean her tail pocket. You may have to get someone to help you hold her.

Yup, I will definitely have to get someone to hold her...otherwise she will squirm and run off...LOL!

 

[Izzy's Mom]

Yup, I will definitely have to get someone to hold her...otherwise she will squirm and run off...LOL!

Have your vet ever checked on her pocket to make sure it's not already infected? I read on this forum that sometimes when it smells it could be an infection.

I usually clean Izzy's once a week with a gauze and special solution that I got at my vet's. She is not a big fan, she will give me little bites until I stop but she knows by now that she can't run from me :D

 

[bullmama]

Yes and never use pure water, it allows yeast growth (a warm wet cave is the perfect place to grow yeast!), always use something that has a drying agent in it.

Baby wipes work well because they are soft and not too thick. If its really bad do it until the wipe is mostly clear. I use Unscented wipes and squirt malacetic otic solution on it, or if I am out I use witch hazel. Many here also follow up with gold bond medicated powder.


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[Valentine215]

WOw! All great replies! I had not thought that using pure water would create more yeast. I have been using baby wipes but did not think about following up with Goldbond powder.

I have had her tail pocket checked and its not infected...just needs to be cleaned more regularly. I would imagine that Petunia would probably nip at me, her way of letting me know that she doesn't like it. However, I will have to be firm with her and just get it done!

 

[TessaAndSamson]

Samson's inverted tail was discovered over six years ago and I have always cleaned it the same way and we have never had any issues with it (knock on wood LOL). I clean it first with the unscented, hypoallergenic baby wipes followed by mal-a-ket wipes (douxo wipes work too). Samson isn't terribly found of it either so while standing up I hold him using my legs, one of each side of his waist so he's like wedged in that spot.

 

[Jack Daniels]

I buy the Baby wipes in the plastic dispenser & I pour a bottle of Witch Hazel in there.
So when I pull out a sheet, its already absorbed with the Witch hazel.

I wipe Jack's butt and mostly underneath his tail regulary. Every time he come's back in from the back yard the first thing I do is wipe him down... ....
Jack see's the baby wipes and he starts to walk the other way but knows it has to happen so after I call him a couple of times, he walks towards me withhis head slung low.... "dead man walking" ...
I grab his tail with one hand and try to pull it up as much as possible while he pushes down on it..
I wipe wipe wipe until I see the wipey is coming out as clean as possible..



Yup, I go thru alot of Baby wipes each week....

 

[Valentine215]

Samson's inverted tail was discovered over six years ago and I have always cleaned it the same way and we have never had any issues with it (knock on wood LOL). I clean it first with the unscented, hypoallergenic baby wipes followed by mal-a-ket wipes (douxo wipes work too). Samson isn't terribly found of it either so while standing up I hold him using my legs, one of each side of his waist so he's like wedged in that spot.

Ok so I will have to get her in a locked position...she is fast when she wants to be though. LOL! And I LOVE the name Samson...that was my first bully---I miss him everyday.

 

[Valentine215]

I buy the Baby wipes in the plastic dispenser & I pour a bottle of Witch Hazel in there.
So when I pull out a sheet, its already absorbed with the Witch hazel.

I wipe Jack's butt and mostly underneath his tail regulary. Every time he come's back in from the back yard the first thing I do is wipe him down... .... Yup, I go thru alot of Baby wipes each week....

Wow this is a great idea! I think I will do that and have her own 'Diva wipes'.

 

[Lulu belle]

I clean his tail pocket with unscented, hypoallergenic baby wipes. i also use baby wipes to clean his hiney after he poops. if his tail pocket is red, I use douxo wipes once a day. It usually takes about 3 days to clear up.

 

[santinomom]

My boy suffered a very long time with inverted tail issues. Nothing I used would ever help and he would also run every time I would try to clean it. I finally took my vets advice as the last resort and had his tail removed. it truly was the best money I've ever spent on my bully and he's a completely different little bully now.......MUCH HAPPIER!!!!!

 

[Valentine215]

Santinomom, how old was he when you had his tail removed?

 

[santinomom]

He will be 6 yrs old in march and I had his tail done last May. The vet did such a beautiful job that you'd never know he even had a tail!

 

[Valentine215]

Hmmmm... I will have to consider this...