# My puppy's tail is getting scabs and losing hair!



## grovetd (Sep 7, 2007)

I have almost a 7 month old boxer/pit/mastiff mix named BJ. I first got BJ when he was about 3 months old and a couple of weeks later a white/grey spot appeared in the middle of his tail(this spot was initially brown and black brindle like the rest of his coat). The spot also was a diff texture then the rest of his hair(more like a german shepard's hair). I never saw this as a big deal and never did a vet say anything. However last week, I noticed the spot of white/grey hair easily came out when I pulled it, BJ did not cry or anything...so thinking it was dead hair or sumthing, I pulled all of it out hoping it would grow back normal. Well now BJ is getting scabs in that now baldish spot and i can not tell what the texture of the hair growing back is like. He also does not like when I touch the spot now. And the spot also seems to be growing and the hair around that spot seems to be changing texture and color...kind of like that spot is taking over his whole tail. the I am going to take him to the vet in the next couple of days but i wanted to see if any of you guys know any information about this. Could this be a problem with his tail that happens considering his breed mix(especially boxer). Will I might have to get his tail surgically removed? Thank you for all answers.


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## starry15 (Jan 20, 2007)

Is your dog loosing anymore hair anywhere? Maybe it could be Dmange. Puppys get that. Fleas maybe the cause too. Take your dog to the vet!!!


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## grovetd (Sep 7, 2007)

^^
Yes I am definetly taking him to the vet. No he is not losing hair anywhere else, he has no fleas, and honestly...considering his breed, his tail should have been docked when he was first born.


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## starry15 (Jan 20, 2007)

it maybe a sign of Dmange starting. It comes when a dog is a puppy and wasnt breeded right. keep me updated on how he is doing.


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## MrPippin (Sep 13, 2007)

starry15 said:


> Is your dog loosing anymore hair anywhere? Maybe it could be Dmange. Puppys get that. Fleas maybe the cause too. Take your dog to the vet!!!


I tend to agree this sounds like Mange. Especially with the scabs. Should be able to be treated with medicine from vet.


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## tipper (Aug 19, 2007)

I take your dog to the vets sounds like mites under the skin to me the vet do a skin scrapping to check. Sooner the better. Might also infect other dog also highly risk to handle wear gloves when touching the dogs coat also. Good Luck


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## borzoimom (May 21, 2007)

Did you have your vet do a scrapping to see if its mites or demodoptic mange?


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

grovetd No, not all Boxers have to have their tails cut. Pits and Mastiffs don't either. I would not expect that what ever is happening to his tail has anything to do with the fact that he is not docked. I am sure the vet will be able to help him once he does a skin scraping. Good luck to you.


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## Barhund Canine (Aug 28, 2007)

It could also be fleas or some other parasite. It may be a dietary problem, dry skin, or allergy to something.


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## grovetd (Sep 7, 2007)

Well I just got back from the vet and they did a skin scraping. BJ has no mites and there was not a word spoken about mange. The vet gave me some antibiotics to give him twice a day and some cream type medicine that i have used before on a wart looking bump BJ had before. So right now everything looks good and in ten day his tail should be looking better.



Inga said:


> grovetd No, not all Boxers have to have their tails cut. Pits and Mastiffs don't either. I would not expect that what ever is happening to his tail has anything to do with the fact that he is not docked. I am sure the vet will be able to help him once he does a skin scraping. Good luck to you.


Thanks and I meant to say that was my opinion about the docking, i only see about two out of every ten boxers with their tails not docked and i couldnt think of how or why BJ got that on his tail, so that lead me thinking to it was a problem with his breed not getting his tail docked.


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