What is a Dead Tail in Dogs? Dogs constantly use their tails. Whether it is long or short, it serves to express their emotions. Fast waving means asking for attention, slow to warn you, a rigidly placed tail indicates that the dog is ready for aggressive behavior.
The tail is used both to maintain balance while running but also as a rudder while swimming. So the tail has an important function. So what does it means when the tail is completely numb and hangs almost lifelessly without the possibility of control?
This condition is known by many names: dead tail, cold tail, broken tail, lame tail, etc. Any dog can be faced with this problem but it seems that pointers, Labradors and Golden Retrievers, and beagles are somewhat more common patients, especially if they are working dogs. This phenomenon is more common in younger dogs than in older ones, and it occurs equally in males and females.
The symptoms of a dead tail vary slightly from case to case. Sometimes it happens that the tail hangs lifelessly, but it moves left and right during the movement of the pet. In other cases, part of the tail at the root of the tail stands horizontally, but the other part hangs towards the top. If you press the tail or try to move it, the dog may feel pain.
This condition is often accompanied by lethargy, licking and biting the tail and painful whining. A good sign that something strange is happening to the tail is the fur on the back at the root of the tail. This may indicate the presence of tissue swelling.
Veterinarians believe that the most common cause of this is a sprain or strain of the muscles that move and support the tail. Sprains and strains are often the result of injuries and excessive swinging with physical exertion. The biggest risk is excessive swimming, especially in cold water. Other risk factors are staying in cages for too long during transport and exposure to cold and humid weather.
In most cases, recovery occurs spontaneously within a few days. Rest and rest are most important in therapy. However, sometimes the use of medication is necessary and in some cases there is a permanent disorder and there is no way for the tail to return to its original state. Unfortunately, this happens in a fairly large percentage of about 16%. In dogs that have experienced this condition, there is a high chance that the problem will recur.
Therefore, you should gradually introduce specific exercises that will strengthen muscles and ligaments. Dogs in better physical condition have less chance of something like this happening to them.
If you think your dogs have a “dead tail”, feel him to see if he feels pain. If you estimate that this is just an inconvenience, wait for the pet to recover on its own. However, if he feels more pain or does not recover spontaneously, seek the help of a veterinarian. That type of illness can be a sign of much more serious health problems such as
– Tail injury
– Tail fracture
– Tumor or cancer
– Injuries to the anal glands
– Prostate diseases
– Neurological diseases
– Orthopedic diseases of the lower back
These are more than convincing reasons to seek the help of a veterinarian if you suspect anything more than a “dead tail.”
