Tails of the WL GSD - Page 1

Hey Folks;

I have had a on going problem with my WL male GSD and his tail.  I am sure it isn't unique but I am at my wits end trying to not loose his entire tail.  

 His tail "was" very long.  He is very active and very intense on any job at hand.  Not to mention everytime he goes past anything that tail is a swinging and he has banged it up pretty bad on numerous occassions. 

The first round with the tail - begain with the first inch - it had developed a portion of skin that had died due to the fact he kept it beaten up... I doctored it constantly - tried to wrap - but he is a active boy - and wet weather also just made it impossible to keep the bandage on the tail.   Or if he did get the bandages wet - had to be removed immediate  because that caused the skin to get soft and rot. 

 Finally he did the trick - and busted it to the point that it wouldnt stop bleeding - trip to vet - they tried to doctor it thru them - but we couldnt save the end of the tail - cut - cut - first inch or so  gone......

$1000+ later - 3 months later -lots of lectures from the vet that I wasnt trying hard enough to keep this dog inactive - so I boarded -they couldnt keep him confined any better than me.... The tail finally did heal......... 

Fast forward - new year - problem has started again - this time the scabbing is from the tip to some 8 inches inward - it is a huge knot of dead skin - with two sores that I can't get to heal up..... The scabbing is from previous cuts that healed ..  I know I am going to have a tail-less GSD....    I guess that will solve his issue in the end....but that isnt what I want, obviously.

Does anybody have any suggest?  Or been in this situation that might give me some other options other than that I have already tried?  

Thanks.

Wow--sorry to hear about your dog's tail.  One of my gsds seems to have a really long tail and she hits stuff with it all of the time, but has never injured her tail in the process.  It couldn't hurt to boost his immune system with ester C and cod liver oil.  Not sure how much that will help his tail though.  Have you asked your vet to test to see what type of bacterial infection is in your dog's tail?

We actually had the same problem with our female German Shepherd Shelby many years ago. she had a normal length tail however we had a narrow hallway which led to the back door. Shelby would sit/stand by the back door and wait for me to come home. Whenever she heard a noise she would get excited/happy and wag her tail like crazy,. Her tail would hit the wall on each side as she wagged it, causing it bleed. We sectioned off the hallway so she couldn't stand there and hurt her tail however it wasveryhard to heal up. She was always so happy and wagging that tail of hers she would break it open all the time. We used a sock and vet wrap to bandage it, hard spot to keep a bandage on. the vet wanted it wrapped and padded real well so when she did bang it on something it would protect the tail end from breaking open. Scar tissue built up on the end of her beautiful feathered tail. The last 2 inches of her tail was more or less "dead" according to our vet. It stayed a grey color the rest of her life. She had points in the American ring and one major on her however we stopped showing her in conformation after she hurt her tail as it was very obvious. We switched to the obedience ring and excelled in that area. Shelby was a American/ German show lines cross. She didn't have a lot of drive, but was just such a happy dog, over the years she would on occasion break open the end of her tail again. Seemed like once the scar tissue built up it was actually easier for her to make it bleed. We would just wrap it with the sock and vet wrap again till it healed up. We were lucky as we never had to actually amputate the end of her tail like the vet was afraid we would end up doing. Wish I had more ideas for you. I know one of our kennel club owners have Great Danes and they also deal with this problem on a regular basis. They also just wrapped and padded their dogs tails as far as we know. Good Luck!

Maybe you could try the apple cider vinegar! What do you have to lose?

Two of mine have broken their tails, the first had the last fifth of his tail removed and it was a nightmare from the start to prevent him knocking it.  We had some success crating him, but he couldn't live like that permanently and as soon as he went back in a kennel, the tail was a bloody pulp.  We never solved it and rehomed him to a calm companion home where he lived in the house, the tail healed up and once the hair grew back he never had a problem since.  When the second one did it, I had her short docked back to one joint and it healed quickly with no problems since, she just looks funny when she is in season and trying to flag.  Sounds to me as if your dog would be better off short docked.

Margaret N-J

There is no bacterial infection in my boys tail........  it is sadly covered in scabs...with hair..   We cut off 1 -2 inches off -and it was a nightmare trying to get it healed.........it isn't infected currently - but I know it is painful for him - but when he is working - he doesn't care....  Nor does he care when he hits it if he is in drive..........  but he is a working dog - and I can't keep him crated - and even in the crate - he will spin and hit it if I don't achknowledge him first if crated or kennelled...........  But probably right - eventually he will be tail-less and he will have a million dollar tail that is missing............  my boy will be very memoriable.......    They will say - Wow what a dog - but what happened to his tail?


BeeTree - apple cider Vinegar?   maybe not hurt - but why? 

Yogie

Change the Ph. of the bad host environment.

Hummm...........Beetree.......I think you must of drunk to much - vinegar yourself.............not sure of your comment...........

.....ph isnt an issue............does a child that falls down in the street / gets a sore on his knee have a problem with PH?   I think not.......  He busted his knee open..........not sure of your comment.......please explain.............

Yogie

Yogie, bee is referring to the thread I started:  http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/bulletins.read?mnr=533074 .  Not sure why the sarcasm though (from bee).   

The reason I asked about a bacterial infection is because there are some really resistant stains that destroy tissue and make it difficult for healing to take place.

There was no sarcasm from me. Just a thought.  Yes, I was thinking of your thread, ggturner.  Yogie, sorry you didn't get it. Hope you figure out how to save the tail.