For example, you should be careful when letting your dog jump down from high places, as his tail may get caught in the process. If so, your 13 year old dog could have a condition known as vestibular disease. She had a complete recovery to her happy “helicopter tail”. Donât, for example, let your dog swim around for hours if he doesnât get the chance to swim very often, avoid letting your dog swim in very cold water, and introduce working dogs to their activities slowly. And watch for vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite with use of any anti-inflammatories. Since the tail is also used for balance, a dog with limp tail may have difficulty getting up after lying down and with squatting to urinate or defecate outside. She was once adopted because of her beautiful look and happy personality, but sadly returned because of incontinence. September 21, 2020 NEVER list ibuprofen on your website as something you can give your dog! Minor cuts can be treated with typical first aid techniques; just wash the wound, apply a little triple-antibiotic ointment (like Neosporin) and try to keep it clean and protected until it heals. ð Is there any reason not to neuter a puppy at four months of age? As with people, individual dogs … They can be loose and off to one side, or one or both legs may be straight out in front. Get tons of great dog training tutorials, canine gear guides, and the latest doggy discounts. Chances are, sheâs currently giving him the eyes and begging to go to the park. aegoodall : Certainly holding the tail to the side and looking around would make me suspicious of anal gland problems. my dog is holding her tail to one side, and seems to be in pain when trying to wag it. So she just started to feel around her tail without lifting it and she just was kinda uncomfortable but nothing that was causing her major pain. With his tail in the Down/Between Hind Legs Position, a dog communicates an understanding of another’s dominant position and his submissive one. 22 Comments. This occurs when the dog is running, or going up stairs. Broken or dislocated tails are often extremely painful, so immediate veterinary attention is warranted. While we provide information resourced and canine education, the content here is not a substitute for veterinary guidance. He currently lives in Atlanta, GA with his spoiled-rotten Rottweiler named J.B. These muscles provide precision control over the tail, thereby allowing it to serve as a remarkably effective communication device. So the vet decided to give me liqiud pain medication and steroids to give her twice a day. You also want to be sure to give your dog plenty of exercise, stimulation, and companionship, to avoid stress-related biting and licking, as the tail is often the focal point for such behaviors. Keep your dog on a leash anytime he is in an unsecured area and donât leave your samurai sword sitting around at tail height. About my dog: he is a 3 year old, healthy dacshund. My Lhasa Apso has hurt/broken her tail in the middle and can’t lift it at all. The tail wag is a complicated form of communication—left and right matter. How to understand what your dog wants? She doesn't appear to be in any pain just as if it is irratating her. These types of injuries usually resolve on their own with a few days of rest. He is quite subdued and timid, which, although he IS normally a calm dog for his age, 9 months, is somewhat unusual. After much yelping and hunched scooting around, it’s got a kink near the end now, and he keeps licking it. Since he canât lift it I gently lift it to clean his back end and he cries in pain. If you can get one, you can send it to photos@askavetquestion.com. This article helps you with the same, along with some information on the treatment of tail injuries in dogs. she is showing no pain or discomfort when we move it or poke around her back area. If by holding her tail to one side you mean that she is presenting her rear end towards you and turning her head towards you whilst holding her tail … Your vet may instruct you to administer an over-the-counter pain medicine to your pet, or he or she may prescribe a pain-killing medication that is specifically formulated for dogs. Just love to have him back to his old sweet self without having his tail wrapped. . After many emergency visits for pain control, etc. Will it heal on its own? Our dachshund is having trouble squatting to poop and keeps his tail curved underneath. That said, it does appear that carprofen can cause constipation, but — according to one study — it doesn’t seem to do so terribly often. The skin on your dogâs tail may become infected just like anywhere else on his body. They almost look banana shape when they run. The notion that dogs today only wag their tails when they are happy is completely wrong. Weâd love to hear all about it in the comments below. The nerves connecting to your dogâs tail can become damaged through traumatic events, such as being hit by a car, or as a byproduct of slipped or damaged vertebral discs (in the back or tail). Would that help the problem he seems to be having with his tail? Has anyone any ideas about this, Possibly a small bug had jumped on him and while it bothered him it didn't bother him enough for him to stop searching and sniffing all the exciting smells. Either way, I thank you on behalf of the dog for doing all you are doing to help her. Just beneath the skin, youâd find blood vessels, connective tissue and a series of muscles. When a dog injures its tail, there may be certain symptoms that are observable. He hasn’t wagged it since and I haven’t seen it in his normal position, up and curled over his back. Some dogs may even suffer scrapes after wagging their tail across cement or asphalt. Dogs use their tails as an important form of communication with all other species, and if a problem is present, such as an infection or fracture, it should be fairly easy to identify. If the tail is touched a dog with limp tail might cry or whine in pain but some dogs will also show they are painful by whining even when the tail isn't being handled. His tail has done this before but it eventually stopped after a while, but now it's been a couple days and it won't go away! Sorry, reading that raised my blood pressure, so I had to get that off my chest! Some are more obvious than others, so you need to be observant in order to give your dog the best chance to heal completely. Additionally, K9ofMine.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links. Never just focus on a dog’s tail though; look at his or her ears, eyes, mouth and total body position too. Some broken tails can heal on their own, but others will not. But, in reality, tail wagging is not a sure sign of a dog’s happiness. The swelling didn’t go down and the vet couldn’t figure out what the swelling and oozing was from even though I believed it was a squirrel bite. It is a condition that comes on quickly and mostly occurs after swimming. Were you able to help him heal at home, or did he require veterinary care? The vet may be able to reassure you without the need for an office visit. Any ideas???? Hi, Elizabeth. We are seeing the vet on Monday. So thatâs our best assumption. We understand that treatment costs will be one of the first things many owners will wonder after noticing their pupâs busted wager. Be careful that you donât step on your dogâs tail, try to avoid letting other animals bite your dogâs tail, and be careful when visiting rocking chair factories. Tracy, How long did it take before your pups tail was back to normal? She is a cavalier and we also have a boxer and they were running around in our backyard like they always do. The tail will hang completely limp or will go out for three to four inches before going limp. I want my dog back I miss my dog he passed away a year ago I wish I could have him back I die first before my dog how can I have my dog ? we took her to the vet twice to try and find some answers, but they had no answers for us. She has a fairly high pain tolerance, runs into walls and just shakes it off for example. In the last day her back end curves into her body when she walks. However, it is important to visit your veterinarian if these types of problems linger. What Do I Do? I suspect a large groundhog because the bite marks have no punctures but are scraped clean of hair and a layer of skin. It was done maybe 5 to 8 days ago. “The tail is a place that can be injured very easily when dogs play with other dogs or when escaping from an animal seeking to do them harm,” Mahaney says. Breaks and dislocations are some of the more serious tail problems from which dogs can suffer. Do you know what your pet is trying to tell you in different situations? In August, (two weeks ago) she screamed like a cat being eaten by a mountain lion and was in so much pain that she didn’t recognize us. I hope this might help someone who sees the weakening of their dog’s back end and unbalanced back legs ask their vet to prescribe the Carprofen to see if it helps and realize that it might be their tail connected to the spine that might be the issue. This is particularly true of dogs who can only wag a portion of their tail. Figure 9: Submissive, appeasing, insecure Head down, tail between legs and ears back, especially with one paw raised means the dog is confused and feeling insecure and so is trying to appease and defuse the situation. When the dog sits, its legs are not positioned bent and close to the body. We’ve got our fingers crossed for your pupper! “It very often gets bitten when one dog is running away from the other.” This could cause trauma on the base of the tail or anywhere along the tail, he says. However, you may have no other choice but to have part of your dogâs tail amputated to prevent further injury and suffering. A better word would be baby aspirin if a. Side Sit: Also called lazy sit, slouch or frog sit. Hey, Lisa. It’s rare, but some vets do recommend Ibuprofen under some circumstances. One of the trickiest problems to avoid is the so-called âhappy dogâ syndrome, in which a dogâs exuberant wagging results in repeated injuries. The vet prescribed Carprofen (an anti-inflammatory) and with two days she is jumping around and wagging her tail. He has a docked tail and it is just as though someone is pulling his tail round towards his head. What's wrong :/ ? Hair has began to fall off the tail on the tip where his licking. But he is very protective of his tail and is keeping it tight to his body. Thanks for the tips. ; Tail wagging to the left means a dog is encountering a person or other dog that isn't known to him, and he wants to show dominance (Stanley Coren Ph.D., 2011). Usually the entire tail is wagging, including the dog’s rear end. Splinting is really not going to do anything. When dogs are happy and relaxed, you’ll notice a soft loose tail wagging from side to side. If a bone segment in the tail is broken or if two segments are dislocated, the tail becomes crooked. ð. My daughter's Springer runs along searching the hedgerows with his body sort of arched to one side . Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. Your dog uses his tail for a variety of things. On the other hand, if your pet ends up needing surgery, youâll likely find the costs soar into the thousands. Other than rest do you have other treatment suggestions? And, that if the tail is looking better in a day or two, then I should seek help from my vet. Broken tail syndrome occurs suddenly. If you notice that your dog has a limp tail and is not wagging happily when you walk through the door, she may have a condition known as limber tail. Hey, Camille. Thank you so much. ” I have a one year old Long haired border collie. Of course, a limp tail can indicate an actual broken bone, spinal injury or other problem. Her story breaks everyone’s hearts because she is less likely to be adopted due to her broken tail. He was initially also given carprofen, but we stopped shortly after surgery because we thought it was causing him to have constipation (didnât go to bathroom for 5 days). My dog's tail looks "bent," as in, it sticks to one side and he can't move or wag it, and it causes his legs to give out, and he falls. For starters, youâll want to remove as many tail-height hazards in your home. Many dogs suffer tail sprains or strains following extended swimming sessions, although hunting and herding dogs can also develop similar problems after working long hours. Healing time will vary based on the exact nature of your dogâs injury and the treatment plan you and your vet have undertaken. Signs of dogs with blocked glands can be rubbing the bottom along on the floor, licking the bottom, suddenly sitting down and looking around. Limber tail syndrome is one of several names for the medical condition, acute caudal myopathy. 6 September 2020 6 September 2020 Faruk Yıldız 0 Comments dog, dog's tail, dog's tail bent to one side, dog's tail is down, dogs tail is limp, dogs tail wont go up, tail, Why Do Dogs Tails. Limber tail – also known as “cold water tail” or “broken wag”— is a condition thought to be caused by overexertion, exposure to cold weather, swimming in cold water, or excessive exercise without proper physical conditioning. Thereâs no way for you to know this without your vetâs help, so it is always a good idea to take your dog in for an examination â especially if he appears to be in pain. Below weâll discuss the different types of tail injuries that occur, the primary methods by which they are treated, and a few ways to help avoid them. If they have any of these symptoms, stop the medication and call the vet. Sudden changes, however, do indicate a potential injury. It's not a case of the tail getting progressively weaker over time. I have seen so many dogs very sick or die if theyâre given ibuprofen. It’s probably a good idea to revisit the subject with your vet and take things from there. This sad state of tail has many names, including cold-water tail, broken wag, swimmer’s tail, … Your dogâs tail can become injured in a variety of ways, and each requires a slightly different treatment strategy. MAYBE a little aspirin, although when people give it, it limits what better antiinflamories I can give them until theyâve been off the aspirin for at least 5-7 days. It is important to familiarize yourself with the anatomy of your dogâs tail, so you can take care of it in the most efficient manner possible. You may want to pick a product designed to kill ticks too, especially if you and your pup frequent tick-infested areas. The kink may be caused by a broken or dislocated bone, which is undoubtedly very painful. it seems very tender and doesn't look like it's set right at the base. He has been licking it constantly. This includes ailments like flea allergy dermatitis and hot spots, among others. Best of luck! However, there are times when you are unaware of the accident and there are no visible symptoms as well. Get tons of great dog training advice and tips about gear! The article states that a veterinarian may advise to give a dog ibuprofen for pain or something specific to dogs… a vet would Never recommend giving a dog ibuprofen as it can kill a dog I like aspirin. I know it sounds a bit extreme but i have seen my dogs do this many times, where they are running about with their bums almost curved and the tail kind of hooked looking. How to keep my dog happy when I'm not there. There were two squirrels who had made themselves at home in the backyard. If you go back and look, I actually said, “Your vet may instruct you to administer ibuprofen or some other over-the-counter pain medicine to your pet, or he or she may prescribe a pain-killing medication that is specifically formulated for dogs”, I’d never recommend giving any pain meds to a dog without first consulting your vet. How can you tell if your dogâs tail is broken or merely sprained? My dog had “swimmers tail” before and her curled under to her belly and she could not wag it. It happened about 7 days ago. I decided to wait a day because my mom was convinced a wasp stung her but she was still just in so much pain the next day I brought her to the vet. Cavalier king charles spaniel for first time dog owner? Iâm not sure if itâs his tail or lower spine. No bleeding. You have successfully joined our pup pack. Hey, Jeff. You can speak to your vet about padding your dogâs tail (or at least the afflicted region), and there is at least one type of tail-tip protector you can use in such attempts. He is going to the bathroom normally - nothing looks to be in his poo (thought maybe worms might be causing this). Limber tail syndrome can be excruciatingly painful as it causes the dog’s tail to hang limply from its base. Tail is lowered, but head raised and ears not back means the dog isn’t quite certain how to react, and is waiting to see how events will unfold. The tail of an affected dog will either hang down limply or will extend out straight for two to three inches and then drop down. But we’ll remind you just in case! Thanks for reading and for your comments. However, there are a few other ways to avoid injuries that arenât so obvious. Weâre still giving him Gabapentin and trazadone and recently started giving him amantadine. Contrary to many dog ownersâ assumption, dogs do have bones in their tails. My whole family was outside but no one was watching nor saw what might have happened. I volunteer at an animal rescue, and we took in a dog with a completely broken/detached tail bone. Is It Time For Poultry Panic. I find stopping them and a good scratch on the lower part of their backs solves it. One morning we noticed a chunk of hair gone from around our dogs tail and their were bite marks around her tail. I’d recommend consulting with him or her. This afternoon when we came outside her tail had a definite kink about half way down which everyone noticed immediately. But two of the most important things his tail helps with are balance and communication. There May be a Medical Reason Behind the Tail’s Position. Do you mean that the dogs head is tilted towards the left, and her neck is bent causing the head to tilt...? I read on this site to find that it only stands to reason that the squirrel did bite her and it did affect her tail. iPod lead pet owners to think it is ok to give it to their dog. My little cavalier always tryâs to keep right up with him so what Iâm thinking might have happened because nothing else makes sense, is if he accidentally stepped on her tail while they were running side by side, and it her may have jerked her tail. His behavior and wounds would definitely give us cause for concern, and a trip to the vet seems very wise. Ben, please, please, PLEASE! Luckily, limp tails will usually heal on their own with rest. I put bentonite clay on the area which pulled out the infection and cleared it up, but balance problems seemed to persist. Phew! These types of injuries frequently occur when a dogâs tail is stepped upon, shut in a door or pulled (please do not pull your dogâs tail). Iâve been giving her all her medication for about 5 days now and she seems to being doing a little bit better but she still doesnât want anyone touching or really being near her tail. So sorry to hear about your pooch’s troubles — poor little guy! After about 10 minutes of wondering if we needed a trip to the vet, the tail suddenly straightened. The muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your dogâs tail can become strained or sprained just like any other muscles — a condition vets often call “limber tail.” This normally occurs following overuse, but it can also precipitate from some type of trauma. Get your answers by asking now. However, itâs a good bet that your dogâs tail is broken if he is unable to wag it for a prolonged period of time (say, 24 hours or so). The only way to be 100% sure that a dogâs tail is, in fact, broken is by X-raying the tail (your vet may be able to achieve a pretty high level of confidence by feeling the tail, but youâll probably lack the experience to do so â besides, this will likely hurt for your dog). When the dogs saw their owners, their tails all wagged vigorously with a bias to the right side of their bodies, while an unfamiliar human …