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shaved tail & strange behaviour

4 replies

picnicinthewoods · 13/02/2014 21:01

Hi I came on here a couple of weeks ago about my golden retriever (8 months) who had a giant 'hot spot' infection from a flea bite. It was on his back and the area was shaved. It healed nicely but he has since created a new hot spot on his tail at the top. On the advice of the vet we clipped the area, about 4 inches of tail. As soon as the clipping was done he started acting oddly, running around againgst chairs, walls and kind of scooting, holding his bottom in & crying.
I assumed it was the fleas & infact found some more live ones. We then went to the vet and got confortis (?) and the fleas dropped off dead within 30 mins. The house is also de-flead. However, Legend is still acting weird and now Im wondering if its to do with his tail. The hot spot is fine now, but he is still running around in an odd way & crying.
Is this stress related do you think? Or is it because his tail feels strange to him?

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picnicinthewoods · 13/02/2014 21:03

.....plus I have just read that it can take up to a year for tail hair to grow back, is this true?!!!!

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springlamb · 13/02/2014 21:07

I would have the 'new' hotspot looked at again. My golden is prone to them and they are bastard things and take weeks to fully heal. If the first one was only a couple of weeks ago there may still be infection hidden under there.
My Boo is 4 weeks on antibiotics and counting after his last hotspot which is on his cheek and that's with daily hibiscrubbing and a week of steroid cream, plus a whole lotta baby bumbum cream (Sudacrem).
Having said that, tails can be super sensitive and it may be bothering in. The fur can be annoying too as it grows in (and of course begins to cover up any remaining infection..).

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picnicinthewoods · 13/02/2014 21:19

ok thanks springlamb, the timing is crap as we are away this w/end and leaving him with my dad. I don't feel like leaving him really.

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picnicinthewoods · 13/02/2014 22:14

but just to add, theres defo no infection that I can see. Hot spot on back completely healed, all scabs gone, I was surprised how quickly it cleared up. The tail hot spot was red and sore but not infected, so not a real hot spot.
Guess like you say, tails are super sensitive.