Curly Tails

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THE CURL

The curl of the tail is a charm only the Pug possesses. I am not aware of any other breed of dog that has such a tighly curled tail that sits so pretty on their back end. As a Pug lover, I am well aware of the problems that occur with this precious curly Q tail. It folds up into the shape of an onion ring and holds in moisture that is often irritating to the skin. Flea’s love this area as the Pug can not catch their tail to gnaw and bite at aggravating fleas. Therefore, the fleas have a feast down there at the tail, living in the curls and breeding in the fur.

If your Pug is chasing his tail, spinning in circles and falling over sideway trying to catch it and bite at it, then you need to help your little buddy out.

Uncurl his tail and see if it is reddened at the base. Push the fur back on his tail and see if it has evidence of blood or irritation. Examine to see if their are little specks that look like dirt. This can be a sign of flea droppings. Because of the double coat of the Pug, it is often difficult to see irritation in the tail without closely inspecting it.

If you notice signs of irritation, you can  guess flea activity or allergies. For fleas, bath your Pug in baby shampoo or a gentle, non-alcohol based flea shampoo (Zodiac water based).  After he is COMPLETELY dry, apply a mist of non-toxic flea spray and/or a topical or internal flea treatment from your vet.  Do not allow fleas to make him miserable, get rid of them as fast as you can because Pugs are known to be very allergic to flea bites.  

If you do not notice irritated skin, but Noodles is chasing his tail non-stop, try a soothing tail dip of 1 cup warm water, 3 TBPS baby lotion, 2 TBPS Aloe Vera gel (no additives) 1 TBSP baking soda. Saturate the tail in this mixture and put some on the base of the tail. Or, purchase an ointment or spray from a pet store that alleviates itchy skin.

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