Itchy Tail?

Q: My puppy is 9 weeks old she keeps scratching and chasing her tail. Her name is Rose and she is a good eater. How can I prevent her from itching. She is a Javanese and very playful. Thank you

A: Since she is trying to bite at her tail it is likely that there is something causing discomfort in that area. Here are some things to check on. Rub you fingers lightly up and down the length of her tail and see if you find any crusts, scaly areas or areas that seem more sensitive to her. Irritation and scaling or crust formation is fairly common particularly if your puppy has spent extended time in a small carrier during transport. The crusted area does not have to be large to cause her discomfort. The tail is richly supplied with nerve endings. If you find any suspicious areas you should scrub them gently with antibactieral shampoo or soap, dry the area and apply a topical anitibiotic, neosporin will do in a pinch. Tail chasing and biting can also be seen with fleas so check closely for that. Overfilled anal glands can also trigger this response. The Doctorpup videos "No Fleas Please" and "Anal Glands" would be helpful to watch. Habitual tail chasing is a behavoiral disorder but it is not usually seen in very young puppies, most cases involve puppies approaching adulthood or older.