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The doghouse

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

Original poster

Tail split from wagging- anyone else experienced this.

24 replies

cherrypiepie · 30/04/2022 10:17

So our very happy do split the top of his tail wagging. Not very badly but as it kept wagging it kept reopening up.

After 10 days of home treatment (watching and hoping then amateurish bandaging) we took to the vet who dressed it properly.

She said we had done the right thing in trying at home but they are/ can be tricky to manage and may or may not recover and may or may not need amputation or docking.

Dressing on for up to three week and to keep monitoring for infection through the dressing (heat and smell)

Just wondering if anyone has experience and mainly what happened any tips you have. Seems annoying for such a minor injury. We can't leave him alone either now for fear he will chew the bandage. He's being very good it think it annoys him most when he wants to wag!

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EdithStourton · 30/04/2022 12:31

Much depends on the type of tail and how much the dog wags it. IME of my one of my own dogs, and of the dogs I know, if you have a spaniel or one of the HPR breeds (e.g. Vizsla) you might be lucky, in that the tail will eventually heal but will remain tender and vulnerable for a long time (as in, years). If you and your dog are unlucky, amputation is the answer. Very painful, can be a long healing process, but will fix the issue and the dog won't care once healed. If it comes to amputation, don't hesitate - take off about half the tail.

Half the battle with a tail injury with a long tail is keeping the dog off it - they can get to it past a buster collar.

The tails of other breeds - labs, rotties etc - seem to get injured less, heal better and stay healed better too.

Sorry not to be more optimistic.

Sexnotgender · 30/04/2022 12:34

Ah, happy tail! My boy had it not long after we got him. The place was like a blood bath.

We ended up taping a sock over the end of his tail until it was fully healed.

Hugasauras · 30/04/2022 12:34

DDog (spaniel) has split her tail a couple of times but it has always healed. It has left the kitchen looking like a bloodbath though as it gets everywhere!

RandyGiles92 · 30/04/2022 12:35

I have the same problem with one of my boxers. Pets at home have a tail guard, which has seemed to help heal faster this time.

Floralnomad · 30/04/2022 12:45

weve not had happy tail but we had similar issues with a slit on the bottom edge of an ear . It was cauterised and glued a few times but every time he shook his head it reopened and the house looked like a crime scene with blood up the walls and ceilings . Our dog is a poor healer anyway and it took weeks to stop it reopening and in the end we were just using the mepore type human plasters on it .

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 30/04/2022 15:59

Whether it heals or not really depends on luck more than anything else I think!

Docking in working dogs is controversial but when you see the bloodbath from a split tail you can see why it happens.

All you can do is follow bet advice and see how well it heals under supervision, really.

TheCanyon · 30/04/2022 16:11

Our lab split his tail, repeatedly over about 3 weeks. The vet recommended putting a sock on it, but he's a lab!!! We ended up getting horse bandages and wrapping the whole tail. A month later and it's not bled again.

Original poster
cherrypiepie · 30/04/2022 19:01

Thanks all great to have this range of experiences.

Will keep out fingers crossed.

He's a big boxer with a very exuberant wag!

OP posts:
EdithStourton · 30/04/2022 20:00

Docking in working dogs is controversial but when you see the bloodbath from a split tail you can see why it happens.
Oooh yep! Also, it is at best really irritating to the dog, and worst very painful, and results in exercise restriction which active gundogs do not enjoy.

Blimeyherewegoagain · 30/04/2022 20:06

Yes - my dog!
we used Dog Ends for a bit, then I found that a Primapore dressing was enough and changed it every 2-3 days for about a month. It repeatedly opened on and off for 3-4 months then she had a moult and new hair started growing. It seems ok now.
Non healing tails or infected wounds often mean tail amputation and it’s a surgery that sometimes breaks down, requiring more to be removed.

Blimeyherewegoagain · 30/04/2022 20:08

I always think how difficult it would be to clean up a murder scene when you see how far a little blood goes!!

Original poster
cherrypiepie · 30/04/2022 20:59

Yes I agree with the bloodbath! Felt like csi would have a field day!

Sound like it is going to be a long arduous process. I'm looking at horse bandages and tail guards.

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vjg13 · 01/05/2022 15:06

My female greyhound came from a illegal racing background and was very neglected. Her tail was split and ulcerated and despite the foster's efforts it refused to heal. She did have it amputated but still has a tiny one to wag.

Girlintheframe · 02/05/2022 05:59

Our lab split his tail, we tried for months to get it to heal but it was impossible. He was just so boisterous and waggy! He ended up having the tip removed.

Yes to the house looking like a crime scene!

romdowa · 02/05/2022 06:03

My lab suffered an injury to his tail at the start of the year and then kept opening the wound by beating his tail off everything. We had to keep it bandaged to cushion the tail and he had to wear a cone to stop him pulling the bandage off. Very inconvenient but it had to be done.

tothemoonandbackbuses · 02/05/2022 07:00

Our lab had a tail split, it took about 9 months to heal.
We put a plaster over the split and secured it with Elastoplast tape. We also moved things he could hit his tail on.

Original poster
cherrypiepie · 02/05/2022 08:50

Thanks everyone. 9 months @tothemoonandbackbuses !!!!

@romdowa did it heal eventually? His is dressed now and he's happy enough. Has an inflatable buster collar if it looks like he's going to bite it (usually when he is wagging think it's feels weird to him!)

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Wolfiefan · 02/05/2022 09:02

A pool noodle can be cut to create a padded tail protector but still let air at it. Or fashion a tail sling. I think some people I know have made them out of PJs

muddyford · 02/05/2022 13:42

My first Labrador did this. The house looked like a chainsaw massacre with blood throughout the ground floor at tail height. I used a piece of lint wrapped round the tip with loads of Micropore, but it took months to heal and then he had a bare bit of skin that never furred up.

tothemoonandbackbuses · 02/05/2022 20:27

Yes 9 months unfortunately, it kept healing but then he wagged and hit it and it bled again. We did think we’d have a dog with a bandaged tail forever!

Original poster
cherrypiepie · 13/05/2022 17:33

Update - now dog has broken his tail ConfusedConfused

I cannot believe it! Totally unrelated.

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KangarooKenny · 13/05/2022 17:45

Yes, Staffy, had the end amputated. It was much better after, the operation healed better and faster than the original split.

Mrsweasleysclock · 13/05/2022 17:48

What am I reading?!? How is this a thing that happens? I don't have a dog but oh my goodness this would scare me half to death.

This is definitely the most interesting thing that I learnt today.

Hope DDog heals up nicely.

Original poster
cherrypiepie · 13/05/2022 19:14

I think this is a good reason why they used to dock boxer dog tails. I understand the argument for not doing so.

Poor cherrydog. He's much happier now the gabapentin has kicked in!

Thank you @Mrsweasleysclock it is an unexpected nightmare. @KangarooKenny thank you

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