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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Broken/infected tail

11 replies

MissShapesMissStakes · 06/08/2021 19:45

I feel so bad.

I knocked a glass off the worktop and my poor mini poodle pup (14 weeks) was right underneath. The glass shattered everywhere. She was covered in tiny bits of glass. So I picked her up carefully and held her gently on me in the bath while dh carefully showered it all off.

There was no blood we could see.
When I dried her with a white towel I could see a tiny bit of pink blood when I dabbed her tail. So we assumed she had a small cut there. It wasn't even bright red blood. After feeling it more it felt a little swollen about an inch from the tip of her tail so I think that actually the glass landed on her tail before it shattered. But she was wagging her tail half an hour later.

She held her tail funny and for a day we left her to it as she was totally fine in herself. Playing like a zoomy demon with my older dog, eating, sleeping etc. She still held it funny and would yelp when she accidentally sat on it.

So I got her to the vets. She shaved it and said she thinks it could be broken but that an x ray to confirm that is pointless at this stage as it wouldn't change how she will treat it anyway. She also found a little wound that looked slightly pink and swollen and said her temperature was slightly high so gave her an antibiotic jab and anti inflammatory jab.

Today she's still zoomy and eating and sleeping fine. But I think her tail looks a little more swollen and pink. Keeping her off it is so hard and we have rotated obs duties all day so she doesn't get to her tail. She's escaped 2 different cones and I've got a different one coming tomorrow.

She has the vets in the morning. But I'm just worried that she will get poorly from an infection. If it doesn't clear up at what point is taking the end of her tail off an option?

Obviously I'll talk to the vets about this tomorrow but I'm feeling so guilty about it I can't stop thinking about it!

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Motorina · 07/08/2021 08:27

Please, please stop beating yourself up. It's an accident. Accidents happen. You're doing everything you can to look after her, both immediately after and now, which is what matters.

I have no idea on whether having to have the end of her tail off is a possibility but, if it is, she will be totally fine after. Seriously. Think how many dogs are docked, and go through life happy and bouncy. It's a worst-case scenario but, if it happens, she will be okay. Promise.

lljkk · 07/08/2021 08:33

you're getting ahead of yourself, it's not as dangerous as a degloving.

Follow vet advice -- this is treatable.

Girlintheframe · 07/08/2021 09:21

Unfortunately these things happen. Accidents are part of life.
Our lab had to have the tip of his tail removed but he had a nasty deep cut that just would not heal. It was a very last resort though.
I'm almost certain your pup is going to be absolutely fine.

MissShapesMissStakes · 07/08/2021 09:58

Thanks everyone

Just back from the vets. It's definitely got more sore looking but he said we might as well try to manage this wound rather than put her through surgery at this time and just have another wound to manage.

So she's on more antibiotics and pain killers and back in a few days again.

She'll either have a kink or a shorter tail at the end of it. But I'm not bothered about that. Just not the best start to her life. She totally shuts down at the vets and curls into a ball so we've certainly put her off.

I always try to pop in to the pet shop next door (great place to be next to the vets!) and get her something so she doesn't finish on a negative but would have been easier not to knock the glass onto her in the first place!

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DeathByWalkies · 07/08/2021 10:29

Don't beat yourself up - accidents happen to all of us!

If your child fell, cut their knee and required antibiotics, would you be panicking about amputation? Probably not because it would be highly, highly unlikely.

DinosaurDiana · 07/08/2021 10:30

I’d be asking for an x-ray to check for glass in the wound.

MissShapesMissStakes · 07/08/2021 10:56

@DinosaurDiana - I actually meant to ask about that but totally forgot.

Would they do things differently then? They know how it all happened and that she had glass all over her - so that glass in there would be a possibility. But it barely bled so I assumed/hope it is an injury from the heavy glass falling on her.

Back on Thursday unless it gets worse.

I'm most worried that she will get poorly if it's infected. But the vet put my mind at ease about that.

She's relaxing now and not looking too traumatised with it all

Broken/infected tail
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Scattyhattie · 07/08/2021 11:16

Oh don't feel bad, accidents happen. I caught my dogs tail in the door as I shut it & was left with a kinked tail to remind me Blush. A fair few greyhounds end up with a docked tail because of over enthusiastic wagging and hitting it on walls etc so looks like a crime scene and then wound failing to heal because they're still whacking the tail about. There's even all-sorts of tricks like old style hair curler on end to allow air but some protection

I found with my skinny necked hounds one of those inflatable donut combined with cone helped it stay on, plus they liked having a built in head rest.

MissShapesMissStakes · 07/08/2021 11:26

@Scattyhattie - sounds like you've seen wonky tails a lot!

🤞this heals and all she ends up with is a wonky tail.

I've ordered a softer pillow type collar to see if she will be better with that on.

She likes to sleep under the settee and the cone puts a stop to that. But then she discovered she can get her bottom jaw under it and gets stuck. So basically she's on full time 1-1 observation which is so tiring!

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Motorina · 07/08/2021 21:43

I know it's not the point of the thread, but just LOOK at that smooshy pink tummy!

I hope she's on the mend soon. I had a dog with a severely kinky tail (born that way, not trauma) and it never gave her a day of bother in her life, so please don't worry about that outcome.

MissShapesMissStakes · 12/08/2021 13:26

Just wanted to update the thread.

Just been to the vets and after 3 appointments, 2 lots of antibiotics and anti inflammatory medicine, she has now got a much better looking wound that's almost healed.

The vet says it definitely will be broken but is no longer infected and seems to be healing up really well now. It doesn't bother her at all.

I think a wonky tail will look great on her.

And yes, her puppy tummy is so stroke-able.

I'm feeling a lot less guilty now it's coming to an end. The vet said he sees loads of puppy accidents because they are so keen to be underfoot and are so tiny.

This is a picture of her lumpy bumpy tail. Still lumpy and bumpy but a lot less worrying now.

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