Slacktony
Happy Tail is a kind of slang term for a condition sometimes diagnosed in dogs. And it isn’t nearly as cheerful as you may think. Happy Tail, sometimes called Kennel Tail, refers to an injury of the tail caused by repeated blows against a hard surface, like a wall. Dogs do this to themselves when they’re enthusiastically wagging. Ask your vet Chesapeake, VA how often they see cases of Happy Tail.
Blood vessels at the tip of the tail can rupture from the repeated impacts, resulting in bleeding. When this happens, your dog’s continued wagging can spray blood around the area, which can look quite frightening for pet owners. Read on as your veterinarian Chesapeake, VA tells you more about Happy Tail and what can be done about it.
Are certain breeds more susceptible than others?
Large-breed dogs with short fur, like Great Danes or Labradors, are the most susceptible to Happy Tail. Because of their large size, they’re more likely to smack their tails against a hard surface like a wall or the side of their cage. And their tails are usually larger than those of smaller dogs. This means that more mass is hitting the surface, making injury more likely. Ask your vet Chesapeake, VA if your dog might be susceptible to this condition.
How is Happy Tail treated?
If you have a case of Happy Tail on your hands, take your dog to see your veterinarian Chesapeake, VA. The first step will be to control any bleeding that’s still happening. This might be accomplished with gauze or bandages. Cooling the injury with an ice pack can also help.
Tails can prove rather difficult to bandage, as you might imagine. For one, they’re the usual shape. Secondly, tails move quite a lot, which can easily make a bandage slip off. But your Chesapeake, VA vet must take care not to make the bandage too tight. That can lead to tail strangulation and a cutoff of blood flow.
Once the bleeding has stopped, you and your veterinary clinic Chesapeake, VA will focus on keeping your dog’s tail clean and dry. There is a danger of infection in cases of Happy Tail. In some cases, your vet might prescribe oral or topical antibiotics to keep your dog’s tail infection-free.
Sometimes, a tail injury persists because your dog won’t stop wagging, causing the bandage to come off and the wound to reopen. In the event that bleeding continues and Happy Tail reoccurs over and over, partial amputation might be needed. Your vet clinic Chesapeake, VA will remove the flexible portion of your dog’s tail, preventing the whipping action that causes the problem.
Can Happy Tail be avoided?
You might not be able to prevent a case of Happy Tail in every instance. But you can take steps to make the condition less likely. Keep your dog out of tight, confined spaces when you can. Make sure their crate is large enough for them to be comfortable but small enough to restrict exuberant tail movement. And keep your animal hospital’s Chesapeake, VA number on hand to call in the event of a problem.
To learn more about Happy Tail in dogs, call your pet clinic Chesapeake, VA.
