Dog's Tail (is This Normal)

[far_kenell_73]

Hi Everyone,

Just wondering if anyone can tell me if my dog's tail is normal. He is a 7 month old Golden Retriever and he sometimes get's pretty obsessed with his tail, and the other day I noticed the tip of his tail is very narrow and a little red looking. Every dog I have owned previously has had a docked tail so I'm not sure how they are meant to look. It just seems to go really thin at the very end. I will be going the vet in 2 weeks so will ask him then, but in the mean time would love to know if its normal. Sorry for the pic quality

Edited April 9, 2012 by far_kenell_73

[sas]

Does look a bit odd actually. Send it to your breeder?

[Crazy Daisy]

Does look a bit odd actually. Send it to your breeder?

+1

None of my Goldens tails have ever looked like that. Maybe he is pulling out the hair?

[experiencedfun]

follow up with it....I had a shep who ended up tearing her tail to shreds, hair never grew back. She was stressed and would just sit and chew on her tail and it became a habit....eventually got her out of it but I should have done more sooner

[Dame Aussie]

Looks to me like he might be chewing it, I'd get him checked out at the Vet and speak to your breeder for their opinion.

[LizT]

follow up with it....I had a shep who ended up tearing her tail to shreds, hair never grew back. She was stressed and would just sit and chew on her tail and it became a habit....eventually got her out of it but I should have done more sooner

My ex's family had a Kelpie with this kind of problem. She would wag her tail madly while sitting and it rubbed on the concrete path. Then she would chew at the scab and make it a terrible sore. The Vet called it "Happy tail syndrome".

It went on for a while and finally the vet docked a few inches off the end to clean up, stitch and finally heal what became a big mess after failed attempts with Elizabethan collars and bad tasting ointments.

This made it just out of her reach and the tail finally did heal.