Seeing your dog’s tail go from fully thick to less voluminous with patches can be a worry and it looks anything but healthy. But the good news is, it’s possible for a dog’s tail hair to grow back. In this guide, I will explain the steps you can take to regrow hair on your dog’s tail to its previous glamorous state.
There are a several home remedies which could make your dog’s tail hair grow back. These include lemonjuice, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, aloe vera, and dog-specific hair growth supplements. I recommend you consult a vet before treating this problem at home.
Keep reading to know why your dog is losing hair on their tail in the first place. I’ll also talk about these home remedies in detail.
How to regrow hair on your dog’s tail
The hair on your dog’s tail doesn’t fall out without reason. Lower down the page I’ve listed the reasons why your dog has hair loss on the tail. It can often provide a lot of clues on how to grow the hair back.
Before I start though with the home remedies I found online to treat hair loss on a dog’s tail, please talk to a vet first. For example, if your dog is stressed, and that’s leading to the hair on his tail falling out, you need to treat the stress.
If there’s an underlying illness or serious infections, the vet will put your dog on treatment to kick start their tail hair regrowth journey without having to resort to home remedies.
And if diet is the issue, your vet will suggest necessary dietary changes to prevent persistent tail hair loss due to food allergies.
With that in mind, here are a few remedies that can make a huge difference in your dog’s tail appearance. It’s always advisable to chat with your vet before settling on a particular remedy.
1. Spray a lemon juice solution on the affected spots
The citric acid in lemon juice is packed with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents so could help to regrow hair on your dog’s tail.
Lemon juice will fight the fungus or bacteria on the dog’s tail. You only need to add a few lemon slices to water, sieve the mixture after a while, and transfer it to a spray bottle. Then, spray this solution on the patches on your dog’s tail. Regularly.
Doing so will eventually clear the fungus or bacteria weakening the hair shafts on the tail and preventing new hair from growing.
2. Use diluted apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar also works like lemon juice so could make your dog’s tail hair grow. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties thanks to its main component: acetic acid.
In this case, mix equal parts of fresh water with apple cider vinegar, and spray the solution to the problematic areas on your dog’s tail.
Vinegar will get rid of the bacteria or fungus on the tail. It will also make parasites like fleas jump off your canine pal’s tail because they hate vinegar’s smell.
That way, your dog won’t constantly scratch and chew off hair from their tail to deal with these itchy bugs. Make sure your dog has no wounds on the tail before spraying the diluted vinegar.
Handy Hint: You can also apply apple cider vinegar to a dog’s paw to stop them licking excessively.
3. Aloe vera gel can be helpful
Aloe vera is often mentioned in any list of the best natural hair regrowth remedies in humans. It could also help the hair on a dog’s tail grow back.
Luckily, its benefits extend to dogs, too. This wonder plant has special enzymes that will remove the dead skin on your dog’s tail patches. Dead skin hinders new fur from growing.
The goelvetpharma.com website explain how it can stimulate hair growth:
“The Gel substance of aloe vera is chemically similar or similar in chemical composition to that of keratin. Keratin is a protein which is normally found in skin, hair, nails, etc. and which is why, good hair health is promoted by Aloe Vera given its chemical similarities with keratin, and thus, leaving you with a cute pet with good voluminous shiny, thick coat.”
Aloe vera will also soothe any itchiness or heal any insect bite on your dog’s tail that makes them scratch a lot and lose hair.
4. Apply coconut oil on the patches
You can gently massage natural coconut oil on the areas with missing fur to encourage hair on a dog’s tail to grow back.
Coconut oil’s antibacterial properties (because of its main component — lauric acid) will fight the bacteria on the patchy fur interfering with proper hair regrowth.
5. Try a diluted dog-friendly essential oil
Another method you can try to treat hair loss on a dog’s tail is this one but ask your vet first pleased. When applied topically, essential oils like lavender have anti-microbial properties that prevent the build of dead skin on your dog’s tail patches. This will allow new fur to grow on the patches.
A dog-safe essential oil will also keep the affected spot moisturized, creating a healthy environment for the missing tail fur to grow back.
Remember to dilute the essential oil before applying it on your dog’s tail. Also, speak to your vet first to ensure you buy a dog-friendly essential oil and know how to dilute it properly.
6. Consult your vet on a dog-specific hair growth supplement
A hair growth supplement will boost the hair regrowth process on your dog’s tail.
Supplements like dog-friendly Omega 3 bites (view on Amazon) help with the regeneration of hair on the tail and prevent itchiness that might be causing the patchy hair. Make sure to chat with your vet before getting a hair growth supplement for your dog.
How long does it take for a dog’s tail hair to grow back?
Truth is, there’s no specific time frame as to when to expect all the missing hair on your dog’s tail hair to grow back.
Some dogs only need a few weeks for the hair to grown back on their tail. For others, the hair may finally grow back after months.
The time it takes for the fur to grow back mostly depends on the root cause of the fur loss, and how consistent you are with the vet-recommended treatment and home regimen.
So, patience. With time, you’ll notice your dog’s tail flourishing as it was before.
Dog tails and hair loss: Tips to regrow lost fur on your dog’s tail
Every healthy dog has a gorgeously thick, glossy coat with no patchy fur in sight — not even on the tail. Therefore, any sudden thinning or patches on your dog’s tail is an indication that something isn’t right.
The overall appearance of your furry friend’s hair says a lot about their health.
Even if the thinning is only happening on the tail while the hair on other parts of their body is somehow thriving, that’s still a red flag.
Fortunately, there are solutions to help restore your dog’s hair on the tail and ease your worries.
But you first need to familiarize yourself with some of the potential causes triggering hair loss on your dog’s tail. Often, how to grow back the missing fur is pretty much tied to what is causing the thinning and hair patches.
So, why is your dog losing hair on their tail? Let’s see:
- Fungal and bacterial infections. Fungal or bacterial spores attack and weaken the hair shafts on the tail, making the hair fall out.
- Bites from parasites like mites and fleas can make your furry pal’s tail itch like crazy. As your dog constantly chews the itchy spot to find relief, they’ll pull the hair.
- Environmental allergens such as mold or pollen, and food allergies can cause side effects like itchiness. The tail may probably be the itchiest part if your dog develops an allergic reaction.
- Insect bites on your dog’s tail can leave an itchy sensation that will make your dog want to “chew-to-scratch”. These bites will lead to patchy fur on the tail.
- Hormonal conditions like Cushing’s disease and hypothyroidism come with many symptoms, including hair loss in areas like the tail.
- Anxiety in dogs can trigger undesirable stress-relief habits like biting the tail and eventually pulling out some hair.
FAQs on regrowing the hair on your dog’s tail
Why is my dog losing hair on his tail?
There are many potential reasons for the hair loss on your dog’s tail. Maybe your dog has parasites, bacteria or fungal infections, insect bites, prolonged anxiety, stress, is on a poor diet, or has a serious condition like hyperthyroidism.
What home remedy will make my dog’s hair grow back?
You can spray diluted apple cider vinegar on the patchy fur, lemon juice, apply aloe vera gel, coconut oil, or give them vet-approved hair growth supplements. But it’s best to see the vet before resorting to a home remedy.
How long does it take for dog hair to grow back on the tail?
Since every dog’s situation is different, there isn’t a specific time frame.
Depending on the cause of the hair loss on the tail, it can take a few weeks or several months for the hair to grow back. The most important thing is to be consistent with the treatment or home regimen.
Conclusion
The home remedies I’ve listed here to help regrow the hair on your dog’s tail are not ones I’ve tried myself, only ones I’ve discovered online.
The reasons for tail hair loss can be varied, so I really do recommend that you talk to a vet before you do anything about your dog’s lost tail hair.
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Image in header of a dog's tail via https://unsplash.com/photos/vStCVnaEQmk