‘Happy tail’ trauma makes dog unhappy
QOur 3-year-old Italian greyhound developed what the vet called “happy tail.” The end of his tail swelled up, started bleeding and he began to chew at it. It got worse over a few days and eventu- ally turned from red to blue to black. When we took him into the vet, he suggested we think about a distal tail amputation. We had the surgery done, removing only the affected area, and then tried a product we bought online that made it worse. After another examination, the vet put on a plastic cover and it is now almost healed. Any idea as to what caused this and how it could be prevented?
AHappy tail might start with a happy dog but progresses to an unhappy and painful dog. This condition is not uncommon and is typically seen in breeds like yours that have short hair and long tails. These dogs wag their tails with a lot of force, and when the tip of the tail, which is narrow, hits anything, it becomes traumatized, resulting in bruising, swelling, bleeding and possible infection. Healing in the distal tail can be a challenge, even in the best of circumstances, and may require partial tail amputation. Antibiotics and pain medications are often given to treat the problem, and my guess is that your veterinarian taped a syringe casing to your dog’s tail to protect the surgical area and allow it to heal without repeated trauma. The product you purchased online might have been inappropriate for use or improperly applied. The lesson here: Consult your veterinarian before treating any pet condition. As for prevention, the only thing one can do is to look around your home or the dog’s environment to see if there are things he can bang his tail into and remove them. Try to keep your dog from getting too excited, although that can be easier said than done. In your dog’s case, it may take awhile to completely heal. You should know that, unfortunately, this can recur at a later date.