Ray's tail....at a loss now!

[tojoniki]

Hi guys, im relatively new to this site but Id thought my second post should be the most important!

We have a major issue with our Ray's tail....He is such a happy puppy - 10 months old and he has a full boxer tail. When you come home - even if you ignore him - his tail is a weapon of mass destruction - you just need to sneeze in his direction and BAM! The tail wagging begins, it keeps going and going and going - boxer style....he wags it right from his hips, kidney beaning from A to B.....tail however is smashing of tables, walls, plant pots, people, legs, cars, you name it, if its in his way - it is destroyed.

Now I don't mind that, actually I find it quite impressive that he can smash cola cans with one single swoop....obviously its a pain when it smacks of the bridge of your nose, but all in all im not really bothered about the broken possesions or dissarray in the aftermath. What is bothering me is that every time it wags and hits the slightest thing, it bursts open. It bleeds really badly obviously because when he wags it all the blood is pumping down to the tip, the walls are covered, the floors are covered - the blood is everywhere and he still continues to wag...it must hurt him no?! Well if it does he doesnt care!!!

We took him to the vet last month who looked at his tail and bandaged it (step one) - the bandage was off and not only that it took FOUR people to hold him down while we put it on. That just isn't practical when I live with my partner to keep doing every hour....we manage to get one on him when im at my mums because there are 5 of us, but he'll keep it on for a maximum of a day (we've had to build it up ) even still it bursts irregardless as soon as he hits it off something and the blood seeps through.....

The second vet visit a week later they told me his tail was swollen and warm - sign of an infection. She kept the bandage off it and gave us penicillin and anti inflammatory.....we manage to give him the tablets fine (except my severe reaction to penicillin which i didnt realize was penicillin - i wear gloves now but still itch!) and the problem continues. The vet told me that end of the line the tail would have to be amputated, i don't want this! I like my boxer with his tail! Ray without his wag machine is like me without a leg! It completes him! But alas it looks like i have no other choice....I dont want the poss infection getting worse and entering his spine....I don't want him to be in pain - and although he doesnt complain he does have the occasional aggravated bit at the tail showing me it is hurting him...

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions? I was hoping they would try the lampshade and then he would keep the bandage on, but now we have him keeping it on for a few hours it doesnt really make a difference, its still bursting open....ive heard stories of boxer dog owners lining the bottom half of the wall with carpet and changing the doors and I would go that far if i knew it worked - does anyone have the same issue?

 

[Gatorblu]

Is there an orthopedic vet you can take him to and get a second opinion? And frankly, I think you would want an orthopedic vet should it require surgery. There are just so many nerve endings and such involved in an amputaion of a tail. In any event I think I would search for a second opinion even from a regular vet if an orthopedic one isn't available. Amputation is such a drastic surgery, it just seems like a good idea.

 

[Stub]

Would it be at all possible to keep his tail from wagging so much? I'm thinking of a soft bandage tying his tail to his leg or something. I know a person whose lab broke his tail (hit it on a door wagging too hard) and they had to amputate about 3 inches off the end. It took MONTHS to heal just because of the wagging into things blowing the scab off, like you said. If you could remove any tables or anything hard that he wags into, and maybe pad wall corners and stuff with carpet, it might help keep it from bursting open. Also, what if you shaved part of his tail above the hurt portion, so that the bandage tape had skin to stick to instead of trying to attach it to fur?

I don't know if these things are even practicable or if he would allow any if them, but if it lets him keep his tail...? Good luck!!

 

[tojoniki]

Would it be at all possible to keep his tail from wagging so much? I'm thinking of a soft bandage tying his tail to his leg or something. I know a person whose lab broke his tail (hit it on a door wagging too hard) and they had to amputate about 3 inches off the end. It took MONTHS to heal just because of the wagging into things blowing the scab off, like you said. If you could remove any tables or anything hard that he wags into, and maybe pad wall corners and stuff with carpet, it might help keep it from bursting open. Also, what if you shaved part of his tail above the hurt portion, so that the bandage tape had skin to stick to instead of trying to attach it to fur?

I don't know if these things are even practicable or if he would allow any if them, but if it lets him keep his tail...? Good luck!!

I am going to shave the end of tonight thats a great idea, was toying about it for a bit but you just reminded me. Once i shave the tail i'll let you know if the bandage manages to stay on better, do you think carpeting the walls will help? seems funny but i may just have to go out and find some old carpet....

 

[TwoDogs]

Are you using VetWrap? If not, get some. 3Mâ„¢ Vetrapâ„¢ Bandaging Tape The trick with tails is to bandage much more of the tail than just where the wound is. If the tip is where the wound is, you'll need to end up bandaging at least 2/3 to 3/4 of the tail length in order for the bandage to stay on. The bandage can't be too tight around the wound, nor can it be so tight as to cut off circulation to the tail--that's why you need to bandage so much of the tail.

You can get some tubular stretch bandage Hold Tite | Curad® at your local pharmacy to help you hold the gauze or cotton in place on the tip of the tail while you wrap with the vet wrap around the length of the tail.

Wrap about 1/2 of the total length of tail that is to be wrapped, cut the vetwrap and secure the end with sports tape Tape | Curad® Then use the Vetwrap to wrap the remain length of the tail that is to be wrapped, making sure to overlap the first section a bit and cover over the sports tape. When you've wrapped to the desired length, secure that end with sports tape as well.

In severe cases where the dog keeps whacking the tail and the wound keeps opening despite wrapping the tail, you can try securing the wrapped tail to the rear leg of the dog with an ace bandage. Just run the tail down alongside the inside of the leg and use sports tape and an ace bandage or more of the VetWrap to wrap the tail and leg together. Most dogs hate this and I certainly wouldn't leave the dog unattended wrapped like this, but if you can get them to leave the wrap alone, it does work to immobilize the tail.

I also knew of one person who made a padded "sock" that she attached to the tail opening of a doggie diaper. SnuggEase Reusable Dog Diapers She'd wrap the wound with a light gauze and slip the tail into the sock part and then put the diaper on. It kept the bandage on and the wound protected and was padded enough to prevent further injury while the tail healed. It was a lot easier and less expensive than wrapping and rewrapping with Vetwrap.

Good luck.

 

[tojoniki]

I also knew of one person who made a padded "sock" that she attached to the tail opening of a doggie diaper. SnuggEase Reusable Dog Diapers She'd wrap the wound with a light gauze and slip the tail into the sock part and then put the diaper on. It kept the bandage on and the wound protected and was padded enough to prevent further injury while the tail healed. It was a lot easier and less expensive than wrapping and rewrapping with Vetwrap.

Good luck.[/QUOTE]

That is a brilliant idea, weve shaved half the tail so we'll do the other half later and tomorrow i will buy the dog nappies at the pet store and do it that way, so much easier - thanks!

 

[LILYLARUE]

If you can avoid an amputation, please do! My poor 2 yr old at the time, he had a severe case of "happy tail". When I rescued him he had a broken bone in the tail and that caused it to not heal and infection set in. He had to amputate, each time removing 3 vertebre. My boy was so miserable, I asked to have it removed completely. Every time he sat down, he would hit the tip - it got so bad, he would sleep standing up. :( The decision to dock it completely was the only alternative. After 3 months of 3 dockings, he finally could sit and lay down without much issue. But man, he was absolutely miserable and pain riddled until the final complete docking. Without his tail, he now kidney beans! Don't know any other viszla or besenji that beans that's for sure!

Our walls and furniture looked like a slaughter house! I totally simpathize! I would assume a boxer with a tail would have "happy tail syndrome" too.

 

[prittiegirl]

:( So sad for you. I second finding another vet and getting a second opinion. Other people also had really good ideas, so hopefully some of these will help!

Let us know for sure how it goes!

 

[tojoniki]

An update

Just an update on Rays tail....I shaved the tail so the bandage will stay and that is working well - we have had the bandage on for almost 24 hours, it has burst in that time as the bandage is stained, but we're keeping it on regardless just to stop infection....

I called the breeder and Rays sister; Mabel - has the exact same problem. Mabel is a show dog and they use CutHeal multi-care. It is an ointment based product used on horses but safe for dogs....we always said ray was part movine part equistine anyway!

I ordered it here; Battle Cut Heal Multicare Wound Care Ointment

I can't wait for it to arrive! After reading your comments I def do not want it docked! That is a definitive last resort - avoid at all costs....Ray has the vet on Thursday - hopefully the infection is clear - I really want them to have a good look at his tail, i don't know if this is normal but when i run my hand down his tail it has some lumps or kinks in it, more so than the normal vertebrae - I dont know if its swelling but I hope it hasnt broke or anything...

Lets see how it goes!

 

[Jan]

I have heard of this being done with Irish Water Spaniels. What you do is cover the whole tail with that foam piping that you use to put on water pipes to stop them from freezing or to keep the heat in. It protects the tail from being banged and gives it a chance to heal.

Hopefully Ray's tail will eventually get a chance to heal.

Good luck!