Guest Anonymous Posted March 11, 2002 Share Posted March 11, 2002 A friend of mine recently adopted a six-month-old Rhodesian Ridgeback/Great Dane mix whose tail tip bleeds when she excitedly whaps her tail against the wall. A vet tech called it "happy tail" and suggested she dock the dog's tail. Is there another option besides amputation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 12, 2002 Share Posted March 12, 2002 Most people dont understand the tail helps your dogs balance. Its not going to hurt anything to just leave it alone. You can get some of the hoof lotion for horses and put it on the end of the tail. Might toughen it up a little bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 14, 2002 Share Posted March 14, 2002 Many Dog live with a croped tail or no tail at all and there balance is not a affected. You need to talk to a vet if he recomends it I would give it serious consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 14, 2002 Share Posted March 14, 2002 Usually taking as little as possible is preferred when dealing with this - i.e., rather than docking the whole tail only docking half the tail. We had a Viszla at the shelter back in '92 that kept breaking off the tip of her tail, the vet would cauterize it, it would heal over time then break off again - vicious cycle. I think about 4 or 5 inches was what we ended up with after all was said and done - it wasn't long enough to whack into things anymore. The tail is important for balance - but happy tail is something that is painful for all involved - the dog - the human, etc. You must speak with your vet and get a recommendation from him/her - if you want another MEDICAL opinion, pay for it and go to another vet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 [quote] On 2002-03-14 12:25, Anonymous wrote: Many Dog live with a croped tail or no tail at all and there balance is not a affected. [/quote] Balance IS affected by docking the tail. Puppies that get their tails docked at a young age are not as affected because they live their entire lives without it. A lot of dogs whap their tail against something hard enough to make it bleed. It will heal quickly and is not all that painful for them. If you cut your finger are you going to cut it off?? The tail is more important than you think. The only reason you should dock the tail is for health reasons. "Happy tail" is not a health hazzard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 I agree the tail should only be docked if it's a health problem. My point is if the Vet says it is a health problem then you need to belive him or find a new vet. Why pay good money for his (or her) knowledge then not follow his (or her)reccomendation? If the Vet says it need to be docked the dog will adapt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 I have heard that if you put a paper towel roll and let it heal...it will be fine...the roll helps to protect it while healing. Have a great day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 I dont even know if this will help. My friend has a Boxer and as we all know you dock their tails. Well they either din't take the last stich out or they din't put one in I'm not sure, but every time he would bump it, it would start to bleed. He had to have some surgery on it to fix it. Is it possibile that mabey hecut it early on in his life and it never fully healed??? Hope this helps!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 'Happy tail' is caused by the dog wagging the tail and smacking the tip of it into things - it is very difficult to get it fully healed because you can't really stop a dog from wagging their tail (besides, who would want to? :smile:) The paper towel thing sounds interesting... never thought of that! I do think an Elizabethan collar would be a must though. If the dog's tail has completely healed and the 'happy tail' syndrome occurs again, I would say that this is a medical issue. But speaking with your vet and possible getting a second opinion is your best bet with this one. Every part of the dogs anatomy is important, from the dewclaws that are on the hind feet on some breeds to the tail - it all plays a part. Yes, Gamelady is absolutely correct saying that the tail is important for balance (like the cheetah - they don't have a long tail for no reason) however, this is also painful for your dog and can last for months. If your dog isn't doing agility and you aren't asking your dog to perform tricks, docking the tail to avoid further injury isn't going to affect your dog an incredible amount. The other reason it is important to get this taken care of is due to infection - lots of dogs that have 'happy tail' end up with the flesh rotting. If your not used to seeing your dog without a tail I can completely understand your hesitation. Personally, I too would be hesitant about this and try different methods before deciding that amputation is the final answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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