"Happy Tail"

Food, Fitness and how to keep them healthy.

Postby amazincc » November 8th, 2010, 3:57 am

Faust (bless his happy little heart) has managed to injure the tip of his tail by wagging/banging it so hard against the wall(s) that it's now a bloody mess.
How can I treat it at home... or do we need to see the vet? *sigh*
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Postby hugapitbull » November 8th, 2010, 6:00 am

Trouble had 'happy tail' many times, but not so severe that it ever needed treatment. Stopped the bleeding, got it cleaned up, applied some polysporin and kept her away from walls for a while.

Duke on the other hand had happy tail so severely they couldn't get it to heal. Now he has 'docked' tail and 'happy nub'. I'm not remembering exactly, but I'm thinking he was less than a year old.

I've seen where you cover it with a syringe casing to keep it protected as it heals. I'm thinking I even saw a picture of it here long ago.
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Postby iluvk9 » November 8th, 2010, 6:52 am

8) Poor guy.

Do you have vet wrap, like for horses legs, to keep it from getting worse?
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » November 8th, 2010, 8:46 am

Wrap him in bubble wrap!
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Postby Marinepits » November 8th, 2010, 9:48 am

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Postby mnp13 » November 8th, 2010, 1:33 pm

**WARNING - male forum members, I'm going to reference "girl things" in this post**

You can use a tampon applicator if you don't have a syringe case. The cardboard ones work fine and if they get them off or chew them, it won't hurt them. Just take the tampon out and either slide it on, or cut it down the length so you can put it on without pushing the hair the wrong way.
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Postby Malli » November 8th, 2010, 1:43 pm

If the laceration or open area looks big enough, he may need stitches...


If you think its just a little bit, the most ideal way to treat it would be to keep it protected and yet able to breathe, so although a padded bandage is idea for protection, it doesn't let the skin breathe, either...
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Postby plebayo » November 8th, 2010, 2:05 pm

Marinepits wrote:http://www.pitbulltalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=16991



This! And what Michelle said.. a tampon applicator could work the same.

As long and you can keep it from getting re injured it should be able to heal. It's really just a pain because they use their tails so much!
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Postby amazincc » November 9th, 2010, 3:55 am

Thanks for the suggestions and the link... unfortunately I don't have tampon applicators or syring cases at hand.
I do have some no-sting pain-relieving Bactine cleansing spray which I applied liberally after carefully clipping a tiny bit of the hair on Fausts tail so I could see how badly he injured it - I don't think we are at the point yet where stitches are required, but it does look painful. :sad2:
Damned tail has a mind of its own, for sure... even while I was clipping, prodding, and cleaning, I got smacked in the face about a dozen times or so. :crazy2:


Some dogs and their tails are just too happy for their own good. :rolleyes2: :nono:
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » November 9th, 2010, 8:15 am

I've read that some people tie it to their dog's leg. If you do this, please take a picture for our amusement. I mean, uh, education. :wink:
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Postby Marinepits » November 9th, 2010, 9:52 am

amazincc wrote:unfortunately I don't have tampon applicators or syring cases at hand.


Vets around here will give you the syringe cases for free because otherwise they get thrown out. I have a small stockpile for Mac's tail, LOL.

You could try using the tube from a roll of toilet paper or paper towels, or even gift wrap. Cut the tube to shorten it if necessary, cut it once down the long way, then roll it tighter to make it smaller so it fits closely (but not too tightly!) around his tail and tape it so it stays put.

If you have a small pill bottle, you could try cutting the bottom off with a hacksaw and pad the inside of it with cotton balls to help it stay put. :|
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Postby BigDogBuford » November 9th, 2010, 1:04 pm

Buford has a bad case of happy tail. He's so big that he can stand in the doorway and whack it on both sides of the door frame. :rolleyes2: Why does he have to be so happy? Anyhoo, I've had NO luck with the whole syringe case thing so I just use a product like Liquid Band-Aid or something like that when it gets bad.
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Postby amazincc » November 10th, 2010, 5:08 pm

BigDogBuford wrote:Buford has a bad case of happy tail. He's so big that he can stand in the doorway and whack it on both sides of the door frame. :rolleyes2: Why does he have to be so happy? Anyhoo, I've had NO luck with the whole syringe case thing so I just use a product like Liquid Band-Aid or something like that when it gets bad.


Yeah, I think that's what I'm gonna have to do... that freakin' tail will not stay bandaged, or stay tied to the leg, or stay contained for more than 30 seconds. >( :rolleyes2:


All I have to do is glance in Fausts direction and "thump... thump... thump" he goes... gah. :(
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Postby BigDogBuford » November 10th, 2010, 5:09 pm

Damn happy dogs. :mrgreen:
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Postby plebayo » November 10th, 2010, 5:14 pm

amazincc wrote:
All I have to do is glance in Fausts direction and "thump... thump... thump" he goes... gah. :(


You'll have to start wearing sunglasses so he won't know if you're looking at him :neener:
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Postby BigDogBuford » November 10th, 2010, 5:30 pm

Buford does that too. I just look over at him and he lays there, wagging his big ol tail!
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Postby amazincc » November 10th, 2010, 5:47 pm

The boy who mowes our grass just came over... MAJOR exitement. Faust - again - split his tail open, and this time there was a huge amount of blood everywhere, literally. On the walls, on the floor, on Faust himself, some on Sepp, some on me and some on the kid. My porch looks like a crime scene... :shock: :shock: :shock:
I also think Faust might need some stitches this time. :neutral:
Since I'm stuck in this damned wheelchair TJ agreed to take my happy Baby Chicken to the vet, and I managed to get an appointment for today, right now. (I love our vet! :D )
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Postby BigDogBuford » November 10th, 2010, 6:09 pm

amazincc wrote:The boy who mowes our grass just came over... MAJOR exitement. Faust - again - split his tail open, and this time there was a huge amount of blood everywhere, literally. On the walls, on the floor, on Faust himself, some on Sepp, some on me and some on the kid. My porch looks like a crime scene... :shock: :shock: :shock:
I also think Faust might need some stitches this time. :neutral:
Since I'm stuck in this damned wheelchair TJ agreed to take my happy Baby Chicken to the vet, and I managed to get an appointment for today, right now. (I love our vet! :D )


*sigh* If it's a continuing problem you might think about having it docked a bit. I hate unnecessary surgery but if Buford's was harder to manage I definitely would have gone that route.
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Postby amazincc » November 10th, 2010, 6:24 pm

He got stitches, and promptly reinjured it while still at the vet, by banging his tail against the steel table and the walls... they are keeping him overnight, to try to keep him quiet and "non-wagging".

Jeanine... I just got done discussing docking his tail w/our vet. It's a definite possibility in the future, even though I hate the idea myself. I LOVE his crazy tail... :cry:
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Postby BigDogBuford » November 10th, 2010, 6:33 pm

amazincc wrote:He got stitches, and promptly reinjured it while still at the vet, by banging his tail against the steel table and the walls... they are keeping him overnight, to try to keep him quiet and "non-wagging".

Jeanine... I just got done discussing docking his tail w/our vet. It's a definite possibility in the future, even though I hate the idea myself. I LOVE his crazy tail... :cry:


Well, the nice thing is.....you don't have to dock a lot, just a little bit.
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