Question:
I have a Maltese female who is 3 years old. Ever since she was about 5 months old, she began chasing her tail. We thought at the time that it was cute, but soon came to realize it was the beginning of a problem. She will bite and chase her tail until almost all the hair on it is gone. Then the problem goes away -- until the hair starts to grow back and look nice, and it starts all over again.It seems to me that it occurs most often after she has eaten, but it happens throughout the day. She whimpers at times while doing this and looks at me with an expression of "Please help me!" I don't know what to do. I try to distract her. I have used cortisone spray, which seems to help for a while but also makes her tail look wet all the time and not very attractive.It's been suggested that she might have fleas, but I can tell you this isn't the case. She has eaten the same food ever since I got her at 7 weeks old -- Eukanuba and a small portion of chicken per day (she's a picky eater). Her groomer told me that she has
L.F., Miami, FL Aug 08, 2004
Answer:
The obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) your dog exhibits can be extremely difficult to control, and severe mutilation of the tail necessitating amputation may be the sad end to the disorder if you cannot break the obsession.Shake a tin can of old keys or nuts and bolts to distract her when she starts in on her tail. Try to re-motivate her with a fluffy toy on a string to chase. Consider getting her a companion dog to help distract her. Bitter lemon (used to discourage infants from sucking their thumbs) on her tail -- not mayonnaise -- may also help.For her dry skin, add a few drops of oil of primrose in her daily diet, which should also include some home-prepared food as well; my Web site (http://twobitdog.com/DrFox/Dr-Fox-Homemade-Dog-Food) includes a basic recipe. There are also psychotropic drugs like Prozac to help animals overcome various OCDs, and this may be worth considering with your veterinarian's guidance. In addition, your vet should double-check Misty for skin allergies and impacted and inflamed
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