Limber tail.....anyone with experience?

[liongeorge]

Hi all, took dog out yesterday for a v long walk in the woods about 3 hrs. He does not stop working and was surprised when we got home he couldn't settle and seemed in discomfort. He would wimper when sitting and kept spinning round to inspect his back end if he wagged his tail. Further inspection found that he had a very tender painful area at the base of the tail (he is a Korthals Griffon with a longish docked tail perhaps 8" long) and he was holding it at a droopy angle.. Google came up with Limber tail, and on speaking with a vet friend in the village he said it couldn't really be anything else. Rest and painkillers is all you can do apparently.

Have any of you guys come across this, how long does it last? how to prevent future occurrence etc? Any help much appreciated.

 

[Smelly Yeti]

My lab (Mountain rescue search dog) used to suffer this every so often - usually after long, wet winter days. Current gun dog (lab/springer x) has also had an episode after jumping into icy stream. Always try to dry dog before journey home and have a towelling bag that I zip them in for warmth but still happens. Usually clears up after few days but in I always try to avoid them getting cold & wet until they’ve fully recovered.

 

[ashray]

good afternoon,a couple of my labs used to get what the vet called rudder tail ,a painful swelling at the base of the tail which made it painful to sit or lie down for three of four days,my dogs did swim for a hour or so during a four hour walk but we learnt to not over work them in the water and they were ok with only the odd day they had it again.

 

[merlin]

Yes, my Springer had it about 10 days ago.

Happened after he flew into a hidden drainage ditch so got a sudden an unexpected immersion in very cold water. That night, not a flicker of movement in his tail and obvious discomfort.... but back to normal within a couple of days. I knew what it was as my other dog - the one in my profile pic - had it a few years ago.

Not nice to see, especially in waggy dogs like spaniels, but thankfully seems to resolve itself quite quickly.

 

[Overlay]

my spaniel ( no docked tail ) had that three times. over the years. - hard bit is to get the dog to rest

 

[liongeorge]

Thanks guys, gradual improvement over the day , seems able to settle a little better now but obvs still uncomfortable. I think I put him straight in his crate damp and went straight down the local for a meal! I'll make sure he is properly dry in the future, he's such a tough dog who is normally too hot I tend to overlook these things.

 

[merlin]

.....tail was going like the clappers whilst we were out yesterday

 

[Millerich]

Most of the ones I’ve seen have been much improved the next day after a dose of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory.

 

[ion]

Slightly different scenario.
My very small Springer was upended by the Labrador pup at full speed. She has a 3/4 tail and it appeared to be damaged at the 3rd or 4th joint. She was very sore and subdued for a week before the anti inflammatories kicked in. The alternative was amputation, so we were both very relieved.

 

[dartmoordog]

I strongly believe in a towel bag or nice coat to warm and keep them warm after a cold wet day in the field, my young dog loves his.........He told me so!

 

[SDC7x57]

Cold, very wet winter days, or swimming seems to be the recipe for our labs. We try and get them dried off and warmed up again as fast as possible, but it still shows up now and again. Our local vet gives us a small bottle of Loxicom to control the discomfort and it's usually gone in a couple of days max.

 

[merlin]

I strongly believe in a towel bag or nice coat to warm and keep them warm after a cold wet day in the field, my young dog loves his.........He told me so!

The ground we shoot over is around an hour away, so Wilf gets a full towelling off if he's wet, and then a fleece coat to keep him warm once he's in the dog cage in the back for the journey home. And doesn't he look happy about it... ‍

 

[merlin]

Hi all, took dog out yesterday for a v long walk in the woods about 3 hrs. He does not stop working and was surprised when we got home he couldn't settle and seemed in discomfort. He would wimper when sitting and kept spinning round to inspect his back end if he wagged his tail. Further inspection found that he had a very tender painful area at the base of the tail (he is a Korthals Griffon with a longish docked tail perhaps 8" long) and he was holding it at a droopy angle.. Google came up with Limber tail, and on speaking with a vet friend in the village he said it couldn't really be anything else. Rest and painkillers is all you can do apparently.

Have any of you guys come across this, how long does it last? how to prevent future occurrence etc? Any help much appreciated.

.....how is your dog now?

 

[liongeorge]

.....how is your dog now?

Absolutely fine thank you. Day one feeling very sorry for himself ,sore and unsettled then gradually better this morning you wouldn't know anything had happened.

 

[Rowey]

They are tough little sods. Amazing creatures. But you soon know when something ain't quite right

 

[HDShark]

One of my labs suffers intermittently over the shooting season. Luckily it hasn't appeared yet this year, but she hunts like a spaniel and the cold is coming so fear it won't be far off. Always rights itself after a few days rest, but between that and a constant split bleeding tip, I'm considering having her tail off.

 

[Buchan]

Yup. Pain relief is all one can do. No idea why it happens I'm afraid. Does our resident orthopod know?