Chewing on tail

Q: Our 5 month old male Maltese is constantly pulling on his tail and have pulled much of the end of his fur off. I have looked for a rash, dryness etc. Noticed at the tip a small patch of what I would call crusty It is not an open sore just a rough area. I have washed the area with warm soapy water and applied neosporene to the area. The only thing I can connect to this behavior was the application of the topical flea/heart worm medication (med was placed per directions; on his back between shoulders) on August 19th. He has completed all puppy shots and is not in contact with any other animals.

A: I do not think there is a connection between the preventive medication and the tail. Tail tip lesions are often associated with surface trauma like hitting the wall of a cage. It is probably best if you could send a few pictures to [email protected].