Rickie's Tail Is Kinked - Broken? Advice?

[Rickiesmom]

I noticed when I walked Rickie (whippet) before bed last night that his tail has a kink about 3 - 4" up from the end. No idea how this happened, but it wasn't there before. There is no wound and it doesn't seem to be bothering him.

 

I searched H&M and most people whose hound had a broken tail were also dealing with a wound. In the one case that wasn't, the recommendation was to monitor to make sure there is blood supply to the tip, but otherwise leave it.

 

Does anyone disagree with this, and if so, what is your thinking?

 

He's 14 years old and gets very stressed at the vet, so all things being equal, my inclination is to monitor it but otherwise leave it alone. If the kink doesn't bother him, it doesn't bother me.

 

Although, maybe I should wrap it, not too tightly, for stability? How long it will take to heal?

 

Thank you for your thoughts on this.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Rickiesmom

[KF_in_Georgia]

The kink quite likely is permanent--a previous break (often from wagging his tail into the wall). If nothing's bleeding, nothing's painful, and nothing's cold or dead, then you've just got a dog with a permanent kink. It's harmless.

 

Silver arrived with a kink at the end of her tail. Sam acquired his sometime in the last nine and a half years, but I'm not sure when. The only time it bothers him is if I mess with it.

 

(There's no need to bandage. Dogs with kink+wounds often got tails caught in doors.)

Edited July 30, 2012 by KF_in_Georgia

[GeorgeofNE]

I'm guessing the OP would have noticed the kink prior to now if the dog had it before...I assume this is new?

 

I'm with you. 14 years old? If it's not bothing the dog, I'd leave it alone until you have a regular visit scheduled.

[pabozem]

My GiGi has a double kink at the end of her tail, and I have no idea when/how it happened either. It never seemed to bother her. I'd just leave it alone, unless he starts messing with it. Give him an ear scritch from me!

[CherylB]

I noticed a kink in my Henry's tail one day, and being a nervous new GH owner, took him to the vet. Vet x-rayed and said, "Yep. It's broken." There was no treatment other than pain pills if needed and watch to make sure it didn't become bothersome, infected etc. If it happened to one of my dogs today, I'd take the watch and wait approach as long as the he didn't seem to affected by it.

[Guest RooMcClanahan]

Does a kinked tail always mean that it's been broken at some point, or are some greyhounds' tails just that way naturally? (One of ours is sort of sideways-ess-shaped, and I've always wondered about it.)

[Rickiesmom]

Yesterday I took Rickie into the vet - although his tail didn't seem to be bothering him, that the tip had a life of its own bothered me, as did a growing bump at the junction. Xrays confirmed it's really broken.

 

Vet and I agreed the best middle ground would be to splint it. So (bearing in mind this is a whippet) she wrapped a tongue depressor in tape (no splinters if it broke) and taped that to the bottom part of his tail in 3 places so that it wouldn't be too hot and so there would be less chance the tape adhesive would be irritating. This is the kind of tape that peels off pretty easily, happily.

 

We go for a recheck on Saturday morning, and if all looks good she'll give me supplies so I can change the splint myself, for, probably 3 - 4 weeks.

 

This needs to be kept dry so of course after an almost entirely dry summer, it is raining today and will for the next day or two. Eternal gratitude to Glad for Press'n Seal

Edited August 9, 2012 by Rickiesmom

[greytpups]

Rickie, the rain maker

[Rickiesmom]

Good one Jan

[dbullwinkel]

I went through that with Missy quite a few years ago. The splinting worked and her tail looked a bit bumpy but was fine...unfortanatly this past week she sat on it ( I guess the wrong way) and broke it again! But this time it was a bad break/dislocation and needed to have it amputated..she is actually doing fine.

Good luck..splinting does work if the break is not too bad.