Magic healers share your tail tips

[louisarmstrong]

so got a very long tail, more like a figure of eight whip. Long term tail damage on the tip where the funny thin skin is fragile with a thumb print sized hole of gloopy bloody ooze.

Has been like this for a long time, actually was much worse but can't get the last bit to heal. It never gets infected and blood supply is clearly good (we have splatter from floor to ceiling- arrgh).

So any tips? Can't cover it with anything hard to get off as he attacks it and causes more damage. For now we use cheap but sticky plaster and re apply very frequently and especially at waggy times. He is very waggy.

Don't fancy amputation, it never seems to bother him in the slightest well unless we dress it. And the stump would be big and bloody high up which would also have healing issues maybe as he has a very long tail very thick at he start but whippy at the end.

Any ideas?

[DecapitatedLegoman]

To be honest, having even just the lower third amputated would be advisable. Getting it to heal isn't the problem here - preventing him from smacking it off everything all the time is!

Amputation followed by a couple of weeks in an Elizabethan collar and a tail guard made from a plastic syringe (your vet will know what I mean) will give you a long term solution.

[louisarmstrong]

Ha ha ha my dog laughs in the face of syringes...not big enough anyway, like wise in industrial piping covers etc. He will crack and gnaw anything off hence the light covering being best. The lower third wouldn't help...it is too long and would have to go higher, vets agreed that if it was to be done we would have to have a mini stump.

They aren't keen though really either. I hear what you say about the wagging...what we do with the plasters works as sufficient cushioning at vital waggy moments but we just need the one spot to heal too.

The head collar is a disater becuase it makes him howl and he can take them off himself using door frames and the stairs! This sounds simple but took a big chunk of door frame too last time. I think the other dog has helped take them off too and as the banging thrashing and howling continues whilst it is on I am not keen to stress him or the other dog that much.

This is why I need magic! Your input is appreciated, should have made it clear we have done loads of collars, syringes and substitutes etc. Any other thoughts?

[DecapitatedLegoman]

Using a basket muzzle can be easier than a buster collar in some cases. Or a neck brace style collar.

In terms of tail protection would he tolerate foam or bubble wrap being taped lightly around it, obviously in a tube sort of arrangement? Wrapping all the hair in micropore then using elastoplast to attach whatever you're using to the micropore gives the best combination of stickyness and comfort IME.

[louisarmstrong]

Aah ha good idea the basket mussels don't fit but I do have an old leather version somewhere that probably will, if not could get one. Had completely forgotten that option. Will go and have a rummage.

We do use bubble wrap sometimes and micropore as you describe but it all comes off fairly quickly.

[DecapitatedLegoman]

If you use a muzzle it must be an open one that allows panting/drinking.

Micropore works best if you get the 5cm width and just use it as a covering for the hair so you can attach the elastoplast.

[louisarmstrong]

yes will get back to my tail wrapping. The muzzle is a good one when I find it, we got it because the basket could never have allowed panting or drinking. Had a ridiculous shop moment as we tried on the specially ordered largest and the staff member said it fitted well as the dogs muzzle was jammed in closed and unable to move!

[DecapitatedLegoman]

Just thinking, when you have used syringes (yet to meet a dog with a tail tip too thick for a 60ml one) or piping have you made sure there's elastoplast wrapped round the syringe/pipe too? Otherwise it's brittle and gets smashed with wagging.

I wish the witless fools who banned docking up here could have a turn living with a dog with these problems

[Lizcat]

I like the Monoject 60ml Christmas tree tip syringe cover and then I use 5cm elastoplast all the way up the tail and over the syringe cases so that they have to wax their own tail to get it off. Have you tried a bitenot collar\ neck brace rather than a buster collar.
I have to say that without amputation these tails are always problems as the skin on the tip is never quite the same again.

[louisarmstrong]

We did cover the pipping ... He really is too big for the syringe, our vet was also surprised that it didn't work. But he just cracks it off... Ausing more tail damage. He is giant breed and quite exceptional in his ability to chew or crack anything. Never had one who could do the things to raw bones that he can!

Don't feel too bad for him, he couldn't care less and will happily stand cracking it against a door frame without a backwards glance. His tail is so expressive am happy to keep grabbing it and padding it just worry that eventually he will get infections if it isn't healed. Quite like not to look like the set of csi after a bad episode too... His tail doesnt irritate him generally, he doesn't lick it much at all but when he curls up it is just in front of him and he can never resist removing what is there.

Did have a docked old boy and he had a big ulcer on the lower bit of his stump as it used to get caught somehow when he lay down, mind you he had foot ulcers too so it may well have been something he was prone to.

Thanks for your help:)

[louisarmstrong]

Liz at...he has indeed waxed his own tail more than once...quite an extraordinary sight and takes a while to grow back!

Pretty sure it has been buster collars we tried...will check out the other sort too. Know you are right about the skin not being right afterwards...where he has healed it is pretty thin and there are no hairs at all.