[Melodie A]

My girls and I went to Kings Dominion Friday night while hubby and Riot took a trip to the beach. Hubby said they had a wonderful time and Riot spent a good amount of time playing in the ocean which was in his words "like pool water" he said he was suprised how warm the water was at this time of year. So, all was great and they drove home where Riot fell asleep on his spot on the couch in front of the window to wait for me to come home. (he always does this when I am not home) The girls and I rolled in at about 12:30 and opened the door to an extremely excited puppy dog. He came running out onto the front porch and just as he reached me he started screaming in pain and whipping around like something was wrong with his rear-end and he pee'd all over everywhere. I didn't know what in the world happened, and I threw down the bags I was holding and tried to figure out what was hurting him. He was still screaming in pain and twisting around but I couldn't find anything. My husbdand came running outside and picked him up and carried him inside to the couch where he settled down and quit crying but was obviously stressed. We felt everything because we weren't sure what exactly was hurting. It was just so weird. He was limping a little but neither of his legs seemed like they hurt when we gently extended or felt them. We thought he might have pulled a leg muscle jumping down off the couch. I helped him down the hall and he started yelping again when I touched his tail. He settled down to sleep and slept ok. (as well as could be expected with me staring at him to make sure he was ok every 10 minutes!) So this morning his tail seems swollen near the base and he seems like he is in quite a bit of pain any time he tries to wag his tail. He is keeping it hung limp behind him (usually he is a up tail kinda guy) So, we read on the internet today about "cold tail" and about broken tails. The symptoms really seem a lot like cold tail especially since he swam yesterday but hubby said the water was really not at all cold. He stood in the water with bear feet fishing and he is a cold water wimp. :help: Does anyone have any info that might help us out? Could it be cold tail even though the water wasn't that cold? I had to fly out of town for the first time ever... of course this had to happen the night before I flew out... and hubby works all day and can't leave to take him to the vet tomorrow. He is so pitiful, I just feel so bad for him. I cried all the way from Raleigh, NC to my layover in Pittsburg. I hate leaving my family especially when one of my babies is feeling bad and needs me.

Sorry, I know that was long but I am usually the one who fixes everything and tonight I can't do anything to help.

 

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Your husband can drop him off at the vet in the am for the day and they can check him though right? Do you have a good relationship with the vet office and feel comfortable doing that?? That's what I would do, or go to/call an e-vet tonight and see what they recommend. Tails make me nervous! Good luck!

 

[Elaine]

Let's see, your puppy was screaming in pain, the tail has swelling and doesn't work right, and he hasn't been to the vet yet? I would have had him in immediately.

 

[patti]

I hope you can get him to the vet. I closed the door on Bo's tail once, and the screaming and crying was terrible. The anal glands emptied too! So I know how upsetting that must be. Good luck and God bless you and Riot.

 

[Melodie A]

Let's see, your puppy was screaming in pain, the tail has swelling and doesn't work right, and he hasn't been to the vet yet? I would have had him in immediately.

Like I said this was at 12:30 in the morning and he screamed in pain for a minute or so before we carried him inside and got him settled down. He does still yelp when he wags it too hard. It isn't swollen up like a balloon but there does appear to be some swelling. My husband will be taking him to the vet tomorrow. There was no vet available in our town to see him in the middle of the night last night or today. I did call. We did the best we could... thanks so much for your concern.

Yes Jean. That is what we are now planning to do tomorrow morning. Hubby is just going to have to tell them at work that he has to leave a little early (he is a temporary employee and hasn't been there very long so that makes asking off a little more of an issue) I talked to them this eveing. They seem to think that he probably just sprained something or possibly hit it on the banister and caused a break... they kept telling me that I know what a baby he is. He screams like they are killing him when he gets his nails trimmed, but I think it is more than that. He really seems like it hurts, even if he is a bit dramatic . It is just weird that we didn't see anything happen to cause it, it just came out of nowhere.

 

[Whiteshepherds]

Glad he's going to the vet.

Could he have been stung by a wasp or hornet? I forgot how much that hurts until one got me a few summers ago. Yeee-ouch!!!!

 

[jetdog]

I've had a dog do this after about an hour of swimming; she was fine right after we went home but the next morning we noticed she would not lift her tail at all. If we lifted it for her she would react as if it was slightly painful. We took her into the vet and we were told it was "dead tail" or something like that, basically she overused muscles near/in her tail that she normally wouldn't use that much. (kind of like how sore you get after horseback riding if you haven't done it in awhile) We were told to give her some Deramaxx and a couple days for the soreness to go away. It resolved by the next day, and we now know to expect this possibility when our dogs start swimming again after they've not done it for awhile. You know they use their tail a lot as like a rudder to steer them and propel them through the water: they've just got to build those muscles back up.
Hopefully that's all that's going on with Riot, and the issue resolves quickly.

 

[LisaT]

I don't believe that cold tail is that painful, nor is there swelling?

You might consider xrays and a chiropractor.

 

[jetdog]

I haven't looked up cold tail, but what I described in my dog's case was like an overuse injury, almost like a sprain. So there could be some pain and swelling associated with that. My dog's case resolved quickly within 2-3 days. I'd be interested in how Riot's vet visit went, obviously I'd hope for something similar to my dog's injury, very easily cured. If Riot showed any increased pain or neurologic symptoms, certainly the e-vet, X-rays, and possibly a chiro appt. would be a good idea, I will agree 100%.

 

[MaggieRoseLee]

The swimming and hanging tail does sound like what my friends with their swimming Labs and Goldens get. But your dog's did sound alot more painful... so you may want to get it checked out.

Limber tail or dead tail is what they call it. More info so you can recognize and be able to TELL THE VET! Not all of them are aware so you may even want to print some of it out.

Cold Tail, Dead Tail, Limber Tail

Dead Tail (Limber Tail) in Dogs on MedicineNet

Dogs affected by limber tail syndrome

Limber Tail in Labradors: Treatment for Cold Tail or Dead Tail in Labs

 

[jetdog]

Yup, that's what Jet had "dead tail'. Wasn't aware it was called "cold tail" also... It did happen to her once more the next time we swam her, and then never again after 5+ years of swimming in the summer months. She was bothered by it, she would spin to look at her tail, and she didn't want us messing with it. But after 2 days and Deramaxx, she was fine, as I stated above. My vet knew what it was as soon as I spoke to her on the phone, she sees a lot of Labs and Retrievers, lol... (she still examined her just to be sure)

 

[selzer]

any chance he was stung by something in the water, like a jelly fish or something nastier? It does sound like the muscle injury from over exertion might be it.

 

[caril]

yes talented vet will help you to sort out this problem.