damaged tail

[suzieq]

I have a two and a half year old cocker spaniel 9he is half working and half show) with an undocked tail. i also have an 18month old cocker(half and half again) with a working dock tail.
they both love to spend their walks chasing rabbits and pheasants, going into the thickest undergrowth to flush out rabbits.
Unfortunately my oldest dog has started to damage his tail, he seems to get thorns in it and scratches which result in the end of his tail bleeding. this never happens with the youngest dog.
I am really concerned about the damage to his tail, he enjoys his 'hunting' so much and it would be very hard, and i think cruel to stop him. But if i let him continue will he do serious damage to his tail and how should i treat the damage, at the moment, i soak it in salt water, remove what thorns i can and apply friars balsam. it is impossible to keep a bandage on it! After i have cleaned him up it doesn't bleed again until the next time we go out.
It is so upsetting and any help would be greatly appreciated.                    

[Pammy]

Suzie, you prob know that you can't now have his tail docked. All that could be done is an amputatioon and a vet would only do that because of actual injury  What you could do is make sure you keep it clear of furnishings if he's getting it tangled in bushes etc, the other thing is try and bandage it before you take him out to add some extra protection. You can get that self sticking bandage that might work.

Sorry can't be more help. Others may have alternative ideas/solutions you could try                    

[Jane S]

Suzie, I would have a word with your vet - if your dog is suffering tail damage (& it sounds like he is), then your vet may well recommend that part of the tail is amputated, although this type of surgery can take a while to heal. Failing that, there are various things you could try - aloe vera gel is good for healing & I'm sure you can get a veterinary gel that promotes healing as well (can't remember the name but Gill might). Years ago when our old Dalmation split his tail, we taped a narrow piece of light plastic tubing over the end while it healed - it was the only thing we could get to stay on                    

[Luvlylady]

..                    

[shonajoy]

it just goes to show that docking isent so crewl as they say , saves alot of pain for the rest of the dogs life , i was a middle of the road woman when it comes down to docking of tails now im more for docking of tails as long as there done right

I disagree that it's not cruel - when done without anasthetic is certainly is painful for puppies.

I do support docking in cases of working dogs and damage ocurring however, I don't think it's appropriate to say docking routinely is more justified as few dogs work.

My puppy is not docked, and is not in any pain - and won't be for the rest of his life. He's a family pet and as such won't working.                    

[bluesmum]

I'd just like to echo the reply given by shonajoy, i do agree that i can see the reasoning of working dogs or dogs with damaged tails :cry:  being docked under anasthetic as a puppy, but as for pets........why? :?


I have a ten month old cocker    and Blue lives very happily with his tail.

_________________________

  Maria & Blue                    

[Silver Surfer (indiesnan)]

Nell swipes everything with her tail.

  She doesn't wag it!!    it wags her. ....I just make sure when shes  in wagging mode, which is most of the Time, that she's not in a confined space were she can damage it.                      

[*Jay*]

But we aren't going to get into another docking debate are we folks :!:  :roll:                    

[Hel]

I have a 5 yo half working half show rescue (Fletch) with a full tail.  The working strain is clearly dominant.  He is always in everything (brambles, etc.), when out walking, but does not damage his tail at all.  He seems to know how to look after it.  I also walk in farm land full of rabbits and pheasants.

I keep the hair on his tail fairly short - I cut it myself.  It might not look too pretty, but reduces the chances of long hair getting caught.  

He has just as much chance of hurting his tail at home as he wags it hard constantly against everything - but no damage at all - not even the slightest bit of bleeding.  Pip, my other rescue, also has a full tail, wags it all the time, no problems.                    

[shonajoy]

But we aren't going to get into another docking debate are we folks :!:  :roll:

Honestly Gill, it makes me feel like a 5 year old these comments. I don't see the need - it's a discussion, not a debate, and no one was getting heated. I don't think it's a good thing for new people on this site to be misled by scare tactics, that's all. I could see your point if people were getting heated, but they are not.

I feel the original comment that undocked tails will cause pain for the rest of a dogs life to be misleading, and wanted to correct that.

 :roll:

Shona                    

[Pammy]

Dear all

This thread was a question on how to help prevent damage to a tail - not on whether or not tails should be docked. This subject has been discussed many times before and often results in heated discussions as people have very strong views.

Gill's comment was made as board moderator to simply to ask people to remain on topic and prevent another redebate of docking as emotive terms had started to be used.

If anyone has anything they can add to help with the original problem, please do contribute, but can we please avoid discussing the issues around docking on this thread.

Thank you for your understanding .                    

[shonajoy]

Pammy - I merely responded because it was said that undocked dogs would suffer pain for the rest of their lives.

Could you please enlighten me as to why this is considered a problem, to correct this statement? If I had said such a thing, I'm sure I would have been corrected too.

It seems very heavy handed to say we are unable to discuss a topic like this, we are all grown adults here, are we not? Maybe a list of topics that aren't allowed to be discussed should be included in the terms of service of the board?

Shona                    

[Mike]

Hi Shona  

I think the point was, it's a shame that the subject of docking came up in the first place, rather than any comment aimed specifically at you as I know you were only responding to a comment made by another member (I guess the subject of docking was inevitable really considering the nature of the question!).

I'm happy for tail docking to be discussed at any time on the board - just as I'm happy (well, not 'happy', but you know what I mean!) to step in and moderate the thread if it becomes heated like the majority of discussions on docking typically do :wink:                    

[Gilly]

The thing is with the subject of docking is there will always be people who agree and people who do not. I don't see the point of thrashing it on the board though because it always ends up with the red corner and the blue corner  :roll:. At this point I would like to welcome Suzieq...a new member who started the thread    I think her question was a very valid one. Although my Vets are anti-docking they are not against the amputation of all or part of tail for medical reasons.                    

[shonajoy]

Hi Shona  

I think the point was, it's a shame that the subject of docking came up in the first place, rather than any comment aimed specifically at you as I know you were only responding to a comment made by another member (I guess the subject of docking was inevitable really considering the nature of the question!).

I'm happy for tail docking to be discussed at any time on the board - just as I'm happy (well, not 'happy', but you know what I mean!) to step in and moderate the thread if it becomes heated like the majority of discussions on docking typically do :wink:

Yes it was pretty inevitable! LOL

I can totally see the need to step in when it becomes heated, I just think warning people who are merely politely discussing is a bit premature - just feels like a smack on the hand to me when people are being perfectly reasonable, and I felt strongly that the original comment about undocked dogs being in pain for the rest of their days to be extreme.

I'm particularly interested in the subject as I have an undocked boy, and would have to consider all the options should his tail become damaged so I love hearing all angles of this, especially from those with working dogs.

Thanks, Shona