Swank Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 I know this is a very touchy subject but I need some advice. I have a Weimaraner with a tail which is here nor there to me, BUT, the tail is now broken in 4 places. The tail does not seem to be painful but it does have a lack of feeling in it. Do I leave the tail on and hope that major damage isn't done due to lack of feeling or have it taken off, which I'm worried about due to it being an amputation and major surgery, also the flack I'll end up getting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toohey Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Sorry to hear about your dog's tail damage. What does your vet think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fit for a King Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 have you rung the dog's breeder and asked for advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyking Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 In consultation with your Vet I'd be removing it. Your Vet will give you a letter stating it is for justifyable reason the tail has been removed. Even if the dog gets over these injuries what is to stop future damage? 4 places is an awful lot of damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swank Posted November 20, 2006 Author Share Posted November 20, 2006 Spoke to 2 Vets after the second break, one seemed a bit reluctant to give me an answer, just said about how much paper work there is to do if it is removed, the other said NO! Going back to the Vet this week need advice in cause I have to make a decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swank Posted November 20, 2006 Author Share Posted November 20, 2006 Have spoken to the breeder and was advised to get rid of it. Really worried bout the surgery, does anyone know how long it for the dog to recover? I've heard it can be really painful for the dog, also that it can throw the dogs balance out cause the tail acts like rudder when they turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordelia Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 also that it can throw the dogs balance out cause the tail acts like rudder when they turn. Dogs don't rely on their tails for balance the way cats do so amputation won't affect his balance at all. I've heard it can be really painful for the dog Any amputation as an adult is a painful procedure but they get over it within a couple of weeks. Losing a tail as an adult is nowhere near as painful as losing a limb so just make sure you get a few days worth of pain meds to take home should you deide to get it removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog_Horse_Girl Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 If you aren't comfortable with the vet advice rec'd to date, it's always a good idea to consult another vet for a second opinion. If this were my dog, I'd be doing everything possible to ensure my dog's comfort and health came before anything else. Four breaks in one tail does seem to indicate a lot of damage...my greyhound has a whippy tail but has thankfully never broken it despite its fragility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toohey Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 It sounds like the repeated damage may have caused nerve damage which is the reason he has no feeling. Depending on how extensive the nerve damage is, and how much tail is removed, he may not feel much pain at all after the surgery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swank Posted November 20, 2006 Author Share Posted November 20, 2006 If it's taken off it will be a bit shorter that docked Y's tail but a bit longer than that of a docked Dob's tail. Hey thanks Toohey, I never thought that if the tail has a lack of feeling the pain after surgery may be less, something to ask the Vet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arby Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Personally after 4 breaks in a tail I would remove it. It wouldnt really heal properly from the breaks and chances are it would break again. I mean its been broken twice already! if you do get it done, make sure its a reputable vet that does it. A good vet would actually worry about the condition of the dog, not how much paper work would need to be filled in because of the surgery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hathor Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 I'm anti docking for cosmetic purposes, however this is a case where the tail does need to come off (due to the breaks), and is therefore not cosmetic. Vets may be put off by the HUGE crackdown on docking (The government is cracking down on the vets, when it should be the breeders that are getting in trouble. Still seeing a lot of illegally docked puppies But hey that's another issue) A vet has the power to do it if the tail is damaged, with no hope of repair. If your vet won't do it, I'd seek a second op. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Is there a website that Swank should list her dog on to document the fact that her dogs tail is injured and probably wouldn't be if it had been docked in the first place? I thought I had heard of something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greytmate Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Do you know that the tail has a lack of feeling? Have you tested this? Has the spinal cord been severed? Does the tail hang limply after one of the breaks? If the answer is yes to these questions then consider amputation. If the answer is no, then perhasp not. Many dogs have had broken tails that leave permanent kinks, and it doesn't seem to worry them. Amputation will not affect the dog's balance in any way. A tail amputation takes a relatively long time to heal as there are fewer blood vessels going to the area. You will need to bandage it carefully and look after it, and make sure that it does not get infected. It can be quite difficult to keep a bandage on a dog's tail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swank Posted November 20, 2006 Author Share Posted November 20, 2006 Yes the tail has been tested, no it doesn't hang limp just bends and kinks. The look of the tail does not worry me, it's the possibility that major damaged may occur at some stage. If that happens I'm going to feel as guilty as hell that I didn't do something sooner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arby Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Any chance of getting a pic? Does he have full feeling in the tail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilBailey Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Spoke to 2 Vets after the second break, one seemed a bit reluctant to give me an answer, just said about how much paper work there is to do if it is removed, the other said NO! Going back to the Vet this week need advice in cause I have to make a decision. If the vet is more concerned with the paper work and/ or his reputaion then I think you need a new vet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swank Posted November 20, 2006 Author Share Posted November 20, 2006 Sorry don't have digital camera, may be able to ask someone who has. No,there's not much feeling there. The Vet done a pinch test and had to exert a fair bit of pressure before my dog even turned round to look at the him, then it was a look of curiosity not pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arby Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 The fact that the dog didnt really react to the pinch test isnt a good sign. Chances are the nerves are damaged, even if its only partial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 I would be getting it removed,we have had a dog with partial removal & also now of many dogs that have required amputations(weis,cockers,yanks,GSP)some dogs can suffer phanton tail but in the end the dogs Where much happier. The vets who performed these had no qualms at all about ,paperwork .If your vet isnt willing to give you the person paying honest vet advice then i would be looking elsewhere & would certainly ask the breeder who they use or would recommend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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