Help! Blood On Tail!

[KingsMom]

We had to leave King for what was supposed to be 8 hrs today, it ended up being 9 because of unforeseen circumstances (mostly traffic). He's never been left for more than 8 hrs at a time and we have only had him 3 weeks. He is crated while we are gone. He's always so excited to see us when we get home that after our greeting, we always take him right outside. While he was standing there peeing, I noticed that the top of this tail was covered in blood! After we got him in the house and looked at it, most of the blood was dried. I tried my best to take some pictures but I'm not sure how well they will show... I can't upload here yet, please follow this link to see them. www.geocities.com\stermenwedding\KingsTail I'm not sure if he just got nervous and started chewing on his tail or if something was bothering him there and he chewed it. Maybe it got caught in something, though I have no idea what... Should we clean the blood out of the hair? If so, what do we use? Does this warrant a trip to the vet? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated as we have to leave him for 8 more hours tomorrow and I don't want him to get worse!! Then tomorrow night we're planning to go out of town (with him) for a couple of days... Is he just really stressed? Is there anything we can do to help? I gave him a kong this morning with kibble and pumpkin (we're working on his food) he ate most of the pumpkin, but has a hard time getting the kibble out. We also left him a milk bone that he didn't eat. He's done that before, it's like he saving them for when we're around because if we don't take them out of his crate he goes and gets them later..... Any ideas? Thanks!

[vjgrey]

I couldn't see the picture, but it's very common for greyhounds to have "happy tail," incidents - they get so excited and their tails are so long that they tend to bang against walls, furniture, etc... causing the tips to split open and bleed. We've definitely come home to a hallway that looked like a crime scene. Unless it won't heal, a vet trip shouldn't be necessary. We just cleaned it with a washcloth and warm water. It healed fine on its own.

[Guest sheila]

I can't get that link to work. I would soak his tail in some warm water and wash the blood off so you can get a better look at where the blood came from.

Sounds like maybe he whacked his tail and caused it to split open. Also known as 'Happy Tail'. Probably not something that needs an e-vet if the bleeding has stopped. You may need to wrap it and use some kind of foam type cushioning to prevent it from breaking open again. Some ppl use the foam from those foam hair curlers to protect the tail.

[Guest sandlot13433]

I have had two dogs with happy tails now...I found that EMT get worked great to get the bleeding to stop if I couldn't get it to stop on its own. Then I wrap some gauze around the end with some vet wrap. The foam curler sounds like a great idea for cushioning! I will definitely keep that in mind next time Zenon opens up his happy tail. They do bleed a LOT!

[Jackandgrey]

The tip of his tail or the top meaning base of his tail (near his body)?

[KingsMom]

The tip, not near his body... I hadn't thought that perhaps he whacked it, again the trials of a new mom I guess... I does seem more like he just whacked it. We'll wash it off and put some gauze on it just to help him out. Thanks for the info... Sometimes I'm just a worried mom... So glad I have you all to let me know... Thanks!!

 

Here is the proper link though, I had a wrong slash - www.geocities.com/stermenwedding/KingsTail

[Guest CindiLuvsGreys]

Sounds like happy tail to me. I have a white boy that gets happy tail a few time per year. You are lucky you never came home to what looks like a crime scene. One time I came home and it looked like 2 of my 3 dogs had bloody claw marks on them. Turns out the 3 of them were playing and one got happy tail and wagged it all over the other 2. Greys have a bunch of medical "things" that I had never experienced with another dog. They are special.

[KingsMom]

Ok, so it's definitely "Happy Tail" We found the elusive 'crime scene'. It's not obvious, but there are small blood lines on the walls. Any one know how to get blood off of white walls? Thanks!

[vjgrey]

Our walls aren't white, but a "Magic Eraser" works really well on them

[Guest Willerton]

I'd keep that tail bandaged for a while and try to keep him from banging it against anything. Happy tail can be a serious pain to get healed. It sounds like his is not too bad, though. My guy has had about the same degree of happy tail a few times, and as long as I was careful to keep him from whacking it again, he was fine.

Edited March 11, 2008 by Willerton

[KingsMom]

Well, we learned something new again today... Thanks for the magic eraser suggestion... It worked especially well on the glossy parts and moderately well on the flat paint. THANKS!!

[Guest Tigonie]

We dealt with happy tail for a long time with Emma, and we finally had to dock her tail a few inches. Definitely keep the tail clean and wrap it. The easiest way is if you have some foam hair curlers. Take the plastic clip out of the curler and then cut a slit in the foam part. Insert tail, leaving about 1/2 inch hanging off the end of the tail. Tape over the foam (vet tape is nice, but paper tape works fine, too). Leave the bottom end of the curler unwrapped so that air can get in. Tape about four to six inches further up the tail than the curler goes, to keep it secure.

 

Just so you know, it can actually take weeks for it to heal. Keep wrapping it for longer then you think it needs. You don't want it to get infected, and if it keeps breaking open, you take a chance on infection.

 

Here's hoping that it heals up on its own.

[Guest Tigonie]

By the way, don't feel bad about not knowing what was wrong. I remember seeing some "marks" on the wall on about three separate occasions before I figured out the "marks" were blood splotches and that the dog was the source.

 

As for cleanup, sounds like you have it under control, but I always used a damp white paper towel.