Irritated tail pocket

okgrau8

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Our boy Stan is about 2 1/2 yrs old, and has a really tight screw tail and tail pocket (funny, we didn’t even know he had one until we took him to a bulldog vet!) we’ve always been pretty diligent about cleaning up after he goes outside, and have been using malecetic wipes 1x day. In the past few weeks, when I’ve gone to clean his tail pocket, it’s come out light brown (along with fur). A few times with a tiny specks of light red blood.

Today though, I went to clean him after our walk and noticed his pocket was pretty red. I cleaned with malecetic wipe and got a lot of gunk out. I went back in with a tissue and more blood came out.

Am I missing a step to keep his tail pocket clean? Or does this sound like an infection? Our local vet didn’t even know he had a tail pocket or even point it out so I’m wary to go to them yet. But we have our bulldog vet we can go to. He’s not terribly bothered, and willingly let me clean him this morning.
 

2bullymama

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You’re not missing a step, it is just moisture builds up quick due to it being tight... try some witch hazel on a cotton pad, it is a natural drying agent which will help keep it dry.


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Flombee

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I just joined to research my pups infected tail pocket. Can you update us on your experience with this issue and what worked or didn’t? Hope your dogs feeling better!
 

Nicole G

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Hey [MENTION=3690]Flombee[/MENTION]! I saw both your posts and I hope your pup's tail is feeling better! My girl's pocket has had ongoing issues since she was a baby, so while I'm no expert, we've definitely had a lot of trial and error and it's been so tough to figure out what the issue actually was. She has a tight sort of inverted screw-tail, so it's tough to keep completely clean, much to my dismay.

The biggest thing is keeping the area as dry as possible, and as disinfected as possible too. I recently started using Douxo wipes in there once a day, and than making sure its dry and putting some desitin in afterwards. It has helped amazingly! I've also heard non-alcohol witch hazel can work but haven't gotten my hands on it yet. :(
 

okgrau8

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Hey [MENTION=3690]Flombee[/MENTION]! I saw both your posts and I hope your pup's tail is feeling better! My girl's pocket has had ongoing issues since she was a baby, so while I'm no expert, we've definitely had a lot of trial and error and it's been so tough to figure out what the issue actually was. She has a tight sort of inverted screw-tail, so it's tough to keep completely clean, much to my dismay.

The biggest thing is keeping the area as dry as possible, and as disinfected as possible too. I recently started using Douxo wipes in there once a day, and than making sure its dry and putting some desitin in afterwards. It has helped amazingly! I've also heard non-alcohol witch hazel can work but haven't gotten my hands on it yet. :(

Hey there! So we ended up taking Stan to the vet and he tested positive for a bacterial infection in his pocket. He was treated with mupiricin twice daily for several weeks to clear it up. Ever since then he's been doing great. The best thing I could suggest is consistent maintenance. Upon vet's recommendation, unscented baby wipes work out just fine for us to keep up with it 2-3x a week. If he's scooting on his butt, we know it's a tail pocket issue, not a gland issue. If any residue comes out, sometimes I put a dab of mupiricin in there just to keep things at bay.

I've heard good things about witch hazel and desitin, but I hesistate to put too much "gunk" in there as it traps up hair and could cause more issues that it's worth. Though Stanley has a tight inverted screw tail so it might work better for more exterior applications. Hope this helps!
 

davidh

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So happy you found a good bulldog vet. That's all we use is unscented baby wipes to clean ours with, and dry it afterwards.
 

monica88

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Do any of your frenchies do a weird "air grooming" / "fly biting" head circling movement when their tail pocket is irritated? I am trying to figure out whether my frenchie has a weird way of showing his discomfort or if he is truly having focal seizures. Thank you!
 

2bullymama

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Do any of your frenchies do a weird "air grooming" / "fly biting" head circling movement when their tail pocket is irritated? I am trying to figure out whether my frenchie has a weird way of showing his discomfort or if he is truly having focal seizures. Thank you!

I hope it is due to tail pocket... keep it clean (daily) and if the air licking stops.. great, if not have her checked


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