The Tale Of A Tail...again!

[Guest Tenderhearts]

Alrighty then, for those of you who don't know, we went through a horrendous episode of happy tail with angel Lori Ann many many moons ago that included tearing bandaging off/sutures out, infection, more infection, and subsequent amputation of most of her tail.

 

Now that I have finished cleaning blood splotches off of walls, cabinets, the refrigerator, stove, microwave, etc etc etc, I need to know about the 'curler' technique (or any other, come to think of it) of protecting aforementioned happy tail until it is healed.

 

Tonight I have had to jerry-rig with a generous dose of granulex, as the greasy stuff will keep the gauze from sticking to the injury. He's got a lovely turquoise vet wrapped tail as I type, and I will have to keep an eagle eye on him till Amber can get proper supplies tomorrow.

 

I recall posts suggesting a curler to protect the happy tail till it heals, but how do you secure to the rest of the tail? I have clippers here to shave hair off if need be.

 

Any and all suggestions would be greytly appreciated as I'd really really really rather not go through the tale of a tail as I did with Lori Ann

 

Edited to add picture of the granddaddy of all pouting sessions as the boy refuses to even look at me!

Edited February 26, 2008 by Tenderhearts

[CaliforniaGreys]

Oh poor guy,you embarassed him. My Wayne lost his tail because of happy tail and after the initial bandage came off I used a curler so it would get air and heal. Also so he wouldn't lick it or pull stitches. I kept the curler on by using vet wrap at one end to hold it on and it worked great. Good luck, poor guy looks so sad

Edited February 26, 2008 by cbudshome

[GeorgeofNE]

Do NOT shave the hair!!!!

 

You need the hair to stick the tape to.

 

My technique, which worked GREYT on George, is this: clean it well, dry it, apply a bit of antibiotic ointment. Affix human Band-Aide (knee size). This will be stuck to the FUR. This is important! Then over that Band-Aide, a LIGHT padding of cotton or a nice layer of gauze. But remember--the heavier the bandage is, the more likely it is to fly off!

 

Over the gauze you want to do your vet wrap. Try to trap some hair in the layers. I like to do an around and around wrap up the tail (as if doing a horse's leg) and then cut a narrow strip to "cap" the end.

 

Finally, and this is key (but WILL be disputed by others!), TAPE the top of the vet wrap TO THE FUR.

 

Yes, some of his hair will come out when you change it. Unless he is an uber sissy, he won't bat an eyelash.

 

Change the bandage every three days at a minimum, and keep wrapped for AT LEAST two to three weeks AFTER it stops bleeding!

 

I was able to save George's tail tip, but alas, not my darling Kramer's! His was a sixteen week nightmare--then when he needed surgery (major) for his leg, I asked the surgeon to cut off the part that looked like ground beef, and all was well after that.

 

You can do it girl! Email me if you want more tips.

 

Hugs,

 

Susan and George (fully tailed!)

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Exactly what JumpinGeorge said, is how we successfully managed Frank's tail after the storm door incident. Make sure you have extra supplies on had (I ended up making several trips to the pharmacy to get more tape, gauze, etc...) Good luck! And Randy, stop pouting!

[Guest Tenderhearts]

I'm sure Randy isn't ready to thank you for the info yet Susan, but I am!

 

Thank you!

[nyGreys]

Poor Randy...

It's tough on the tail when you're such a

happy boy, isn't it sweetie!

[lovinggreysslp]

You have gotten great advice on how to wrap the tail, now for my crazy preventative advice. I tried to anticipate when happy tail would happen (guests arrive, leashes come out, treat time etc). I would have a thick towel handy to "trap" the tail or put it against the wall to provide padding. The things we do for our hounds!

[greytdogsks]

One protective cover I've read about - though I haven't tried myself, so the method of making it stay on would be trial and error.... maybe tape to the fur... but .... Using one of the split end, plastic tampon applicators. I've read that it fits over the end of the tail well and with the split in the end, air can still circulate allowing for healing and since it's plastic it helps protect if it gets whacked again.... How to make it stay on would/will be the challenging part .... as mentioned before, and others have mentioned ... probably some tape to the applicator and the tail/fur ... then cover up the applicator and way up the tail with vet wrap ...

 

Might be worth a try at least ....

 

Good Luck!

Kay

[Guest crazy4greys]

I use the pink culrer method.

 

Cut the curler in half like a hotdog bun. Put on some neosoprin and wrap with a peice of gauze and put the tail inside leaving room at the tip so the tail is not right at the end.

 

Start wrapping it at the end of the curler all the way up to the tail and onto the tail with elastikon. It will stay on until you take it off. Change every 4-5 days.

 

 

[GreyAcresMom]

didn't someone mention the pool noodles??

[4greyhounds]

Poor Baby! I am sorry we never had to deal with the happy tail, so no suggestions! Good Luck!

[Guest vahoundlover]

Poor Randy

 

DeVon, I've never had to deal with this, sending lots of healing thoughts.

[Guest spider9174]

http://www.grassmere-animal-hospital.com/b..._happy_tail.htm

 

The above link is great. I had a foster that had a bad case of happy tail...poor boy. So, I do a couple of things. If the tail is still oozy, I use a non-stick guaze pad and wrap it around where the sore is, use neosporin also. ONce it stops oozing, you don't need the guaze Around that, I use a foam curler. Cut it like a hotdog and wrap it around the guaze. I use surgical paper tape and wrap arond the end of the curler up about 1/2 up the tail. I will wrap hair into the tape to help secure the bandage (there are good pictures of this in the above website.) Take a small tuft of hair and put it over the tape as you wrap up the tail. This helps keep the bandage from slipping. Then over the paper tape, I will use vet wrap. The paper tape is easy to get off, but if left exposed will rip off. What you don't want them to do is pull on the wrap and get it off. You can use a muzzle with a poop cut to keep him from fussing with the bandage. You will be able to cut the vet wrap off and unwrap the paper tape when you need to remove it. As long as it is oozing, you need to rewrap it every day.

[GeorgeofNE]

I'm sure Randy isn't ready to thank you for the info yet Susan, but I am!

 

Thank you!

 

 

How are you making out Sweetie???

 

Is it staying on??

 

That link, above, is awesome. I actually printed that out and gave it to my vet because her bandage only stayed on for 45 minutes, whereas mine usually makes it for a few days because I basically use that same technique! My vet was less insulted when I gave her another vet's instructions!

 

Susan

 

Edited February 27, 2008 by JumpingGeorge