Guest ArtysPeople Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 my pup has happy tail...and keeps breaking open her scab, or chewing her stitches out...so after a month of so of fighting, infections and reopening the tail...the vet decided to dock it....so today she went to the vet and its getting docked tomorrow.... Yeah, I'm sad, I like her tail, but her having such happy tail, its the best for her. It was just healed (no scab, almost recovered) and last week, she busted it open again cause she is too happy. Awww, I always feel for the poor happy tail doggies. Good luck with the surgery/anesthesia tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritofeet Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 I use Wounded Warrior and prefer it to EMT gel. I use it dry on booboos, but it is great under bandaging. Wounded Warrior If you can't find it locally, I can ship some to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jbox Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 I don't have a dog with a happy tail but when my dogs got into it and one of them ended up with a bite wound in the side of her shoulder the vet told me to clean it once a day with diluted antibacterial soap, then rinse well. I used this for the first few days then switched to diluted Chlorohexidine which is also a very good cleanser (about 1/2tsp per cup of water) you can use that measurement for antibactial soap too. I always used a fresh gauze pad for cleaning too but you could just dunk his tail in the cleanser water then rinse it with a clean cup of water. He might need some antibiotics. I know my girl did but that was a bite wound so maybe that is why. If you put to much goop on it though it will not scab up very quickly so if you put anything on it make it just a light thin layer. Also bandaged wounds take longer to heal, however with his tail banging into things this may be the only way to get it to heal. Poor baby! Take care and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghhelp1 Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 The GEM store has emt gel www.gemgreyhounds.org Donna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerlinsMum Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 Poor Angler. When my DH got Merlin's tail caught in the car window last year we had to get him to the e-vet. He needed several stitches. It healed pretty well after that, but my nerves were a mess as Merlin kept sitting on his tail by mistake and shrieking out loud with the GSOD. Oh, it was horrible, horrible!!! I jumped out of my skin every time I heard him. If you can't wait until Tuesday, I'd keep doing what you're doing but just watch for infection. :goodluck Quote Kerry with Lupin in beautiful coastal Maine. Missing Pippin, my best friend and sweet little heart-healer 2013-2023 Also missing the best wizard in the world, Merlin, and my sweet 80lb limpet, Sagan, every single day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jupiterooos Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 We've been doing the epsom salt soak, can't say if it's helping, exactly, but at least it doesn't look infected. Bandage changing is a lot easier if you have a partner holding a spoonful of peanut butter out for the patient, by the way I had to put some bitter apple on the bandage last night, because the second he thinks I'm not looking, he gets the bandage off and licks it bloody again. Ugh ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest krisandzoo Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 I'm sorry it's not getting better, but at least there is no sign of infection. Bitter apple is a wonderful thing. Did you try the curler advice? I thought that was a nice idea and may get some curlers to have on hand. The chances of a nail issue with 3 greys here is fairly high - it will probably happen to all of us at some point. Sadly I have no advice. I do hope everything stays clean until a vet trip and wish your baby a speedy recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ArtysPeople Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 Sorry it's not healing up quicker, but glad to hear it's at least not getting worse. So, do you plan to go into the vet next week? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizjaye Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Just checking into see how your patient is doing? Hope everyone is better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jupiterooos Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 OK, Angler is going to the vet today. DH is taking him because I have to work - this is a first for him (I usually deal with the vet) so I wrote out a list of questions and concerns Last night when we changed the bandage it really seemed to be hurting him - he hardly even noticed the spoonful of peanut butter in front of his face. Luckily for us, he's a good boy who stood quietly and let DH hug him and rub his ears while I pulled off the old bandage, cleaned, and re-wrapped it. I had to apply bitter apple liberally, since he has licked and chewed a new wound, at the base of the bandage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ArtysPeople Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Ohh, so sorry to hear he's not doing better. Hope the vet can help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Let us know what the vet says. Sounds like it may be infected. Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeweytheGreyt Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Just checking to see if there is an update on Angler. Another woman from our adoption group had a similar situation. Closed her pups tail accidentally in the door. Needed stitches. Tail still wasn't healing and the dog was still in severe pain, she ended up taking him to the E-vet last night and they had to remove 8 inches of his tail as the skin had died. Poor boy, but at least his tail won't be hurting any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jupiterooos Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Angler is back from the vet. He is on two different antibiotics now. Basically we just need to watch it to make sure it doesn't get any worse...the good news is, there's no gangrene or anything like that. We might end up cancelling our vacation this weekend, if he doesn't get better really soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lovely Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 I feel your pain...my pup was just docked on Thursday, the Doctor did not do it correctly and woudlnt stop bleeding, so she went to a different vet on Saturday where they fixed her tail again...how I have the pleasure of changing bandages..joy...she has had a broken tail for about a month now and hates hates her tail being touched. I do put her in boxers so she cant chew on the tail. She can't reach it thru the shorts, and you could try some benadryl. 1 tab 2x daily for the itching cause its healing. Watch that infection....it could spread up the tail to the legs...My pup only has about a 2 inch tail now. Wishing your pup a speedy recovery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jupiterooos Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 We took the bandage off today to take a look at the wound and put on a fresh one. It looks OK, no smell or pus or anything like that, and the wound looks as good as it can. The antibiotics are going down easy as pie (thanks to the miracle of American cheese slices ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 That's good to hear! Are you going to be able to go on your vacation then? Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jupiterooos Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Yep, we are going. I inspected the tail verrrry carefully to make sure it was looking good - there was no way I'd go if it looked off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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