Happy Tail?

[Guest Berylsmum]

Hi all, I've done a search on 'happy tail' but didn't get any good results quickly so thought I'd ask for help myself:-) Beryl wacked the end of her tail and made it bleed. I guess most people on here will know the result, blood everywhere! It's a new thing for me and one I'm hoping isn't repeated. Has anyone got a good method of bandaging and protecting the tail tip until it heals please? And I'm guessing it would be best with the air getting to it? And regular cleaning? I'm worried about infection as much as it not healing. At present I've got it taped up with a lipstick lid for protection but it obviously needs some padding between the lipstick lid and tail to prevent movement in there as she managed to get it bleeding again this morning. I've read about taping the tail to a hind leg and will do that as a last resort:-) TIA for any help, it will be appreciated.

[Hubcitypam]

I've had various degrees of success with a length of foam pipe insulation and old fashioned pink haircurlers (get at dollar store). Pick up some Mr. Clean magic erasers too -- they work great on blood spatters.

Edited June 15, 2010 by Hubcitypam

[Guest Energy11]

WE have JUST been there, done that, while staying at the cabin at Mt. Hounds with Oakly!

 

He did it in the middle of the night, and yep... A BLOOD BATH... all over the dark green rug, the dark green mini blinds, and natural wood paneling! Hydrogen Peroxide took the stains right out of the rug, and then, I used some Resolve. For the wood, a product like Fantastic or Mr. Clean, same for the mini blinds. Forget the lampshades... nothing helped!

 

RE: bandaging the tail ... we tried it all! Finally, I went to the dollar store and got those sponge rollers we used to use as kids. I put antibiotic spray on the tail (*Trypzyme V is what I use), then, took the sponge part of the roller off and threw out the plastic part. I cut the sponge part open, laid the tail inside it and taped it to the tail with clear tape. **Be careful not to put TOO much tape on the tail, or it will be too heavy. Vet wrap did not work for Oakly ... HIS tail is too happy! :-)

 

It all healed in about three days. It is fine now.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

[Nichole]

The important thing is to let air get to it. I uses Curad liquid bandage. Plumbers insulation works, the curlers(old fashion ones) with the inside out and the cushion part used - let the end open. The travel toothbrush holders work too, they have an air hole at the bottom. I still found blood a year later! HA! But tail saved!

[Houndtime]

We kept Idol's tail wrapped in 1/4 inch pipe insulation for 6 weeks. Of course, we opened and changed the wrapping and checked that it was healing well. Her tail was a mess when we adopted her. We use EMT gel and telfa pads to cover the wounds, then vet wrap and elastikon bandage. Good luck, diligence in keeping it covered will work.

[Guest Berylsmum]

Thank you all for your suggestions so far .... I have a feeling I'm going to be trying them all out and seeing what works best for Beryl. Am heading off to see if we can get those hair rollers here in New Zealand and some antiseptic spray, I think that would be better than trying to rub ointment in:-) Does anyone recommend clipping the hair off around the injured area (which is the very tip)? Cheers

[Guest Energy11]

Thank you all for your suggestions so far .... I have a feeling I'm going to be trying them all out and seeing what works best for Beryl. Am heading off to see if we can get those hair rollers here in New Zealand and some antiseptic spray, I think that would be better than trying to rub ointment in:-) Does anyone recommend clipping the hair off around the injured area (which is the very tip)? Cheers

 

 

I clipped the hair on the tip of Oakly's tail, and gently around the area.

[Guest Berylsmum]

I've had to improvise re making a protective covering over Beryl's tail as I scoured my little town for the pink hair curlers but there was nothing like them to be found. Nor could I find any sort of foam, but I did buy a neoprene pencil case and cut a strip of that and fitted it into a plastic 'sheath' and after spraying the tail with antiseptic spray fitted the sheath over the tail and taped it all up and it's still all intact tonight:-) I'm hoping this will work. Tomorrow night I'll pull it all to bits and make sure everything is healthy and if it is I'll cover it up again for another day or so and just keep repeating til it's all healed. Thanks for everyone's helpful suggestions.

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Personally, I prefer a regular bandage to any type of protective "armor" I would carefully clip the hair around the wound, gently clean with saline solution (no peroxide!) apply a light film of antibiotic ointment, and cover that with a small telfa pad. Then wrap with vet wrap; takes some practice but you must make sure it is not too tight (it helps to unspool the vet wrap before wrapping; having a hold of the whole roll tends to provide a little too much oomph and can cause you to wrap too tightly.) Wrap all the way to the end and a few inches above the injury. Then, take a small strip of elastikon and use it to anchor the vet wrap to the tail hair. Just a small strip, overlapping the vetwarp and just making contact with the hair. It is really sticky stuff.

 

Change the bandage daily at first and then as it begins to heal you can wait longer between changes. When Frank had his tail injury, it took several weeks to heal; these tails require patience! Of course if there are any signs of infection, tissue necrosis, or otherwise bad stuff happening, see the vet!

Edited June 17, 2010 by FullMetalFrank

[Guest Greytluv]

My Danger dog had happy tail so bad we finally had to amputate. Best thing we ever did. Then we painted the house

[Houndtime]

I was at the vet yesterday and we were talking about greyhound tail injuries. I mentioned the 1/4 pipe insulation and she said that is what they use, too. You can buy it in Home Depot or Lowes.

[CaliforniaGreys]

My Danger dog had happy tail so bad we finally had to amputate. Best thing we ever did. Then we painted the house

 

 

Same with Wayne, now he can wiggle his butt and his 4" tail all he wants and not get hurt

[Guest Berylsmum]

Beryl's tail is looking very good tonight. I've had it unprotected for a few hours and made sure if she wagged it that there was nothing around she could bang it on!! I'll protect it again while I'm at work tomorrow and can't monitor her wagging:-) I'm sure she'll be OK in her crate tonight. I tried just bandaging it, FullMetalFrank, when she first did it but she kept wacking it and making it bleed again, so I'm thinking it needs protective 'armor' at least for a few more days. Thanks for all the help everyone:-)

[Guest LindsaySF]

Personally, I prefer a regular bandage to any type of protective "armor" I would carefully clip the hair around the wound, gently clean with saline solution (no peroxide!) apply a light film of antibiotic ointment, and cover that with a small telfa pad. Then wrap with vet wrap; takes some practice but you must make sure it is not too tight (it helps to unspool the vet wrap before wrapping; having a hold of the whole roll tends to provide a little too much oomph and can cause you to wrap too tightly.) Wrap all the way to the end and a few inches above the injury. Then, take a small strip of elastikon and use it to anchor the vet wrap to the tail hair. Just a small strip, overlapping the vetwarp and just making contact with the hair. It is really sticky stuff.

 

Change the bandage daily at first and then as it begins to heal you can wait longer between changes.

This is how I do it. I also trim the hair at the tip of the tail so the bandage fits better. Good luck!