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Thread: Swimmers tail

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    489

    Default Swimmers tail

    Pretty sure my lab has swimmers tail. Anything I can or should do for the little guy?
    For nothing will be impossible with CHRIST Luke 1:37

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Florence, SC
    Posts
    2,602

    Default

    Keep him still and give him something for pain if you have it. Tramadol makes mine sleepy so that worked really well written Goose got it. Give them a few days they will shake it off. Sucks to watch em with it. Disclaimer: I'm not a vet or even clever.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Camden, SC
    Posts
    811

    Default

    Mine has had it twice. We had been hunting in cold water and were standing in the water for several hours when it happened. Did not seem to be in pain as he was wagging his tail like normal although the tail was hanging down. Was a little funny to watch and it was fine after about 24 hours. Did not seem to be a big deal.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Chester, SC
    Posts
    11

    Default

    It can definitely be highly painful for them. My lab had it a handful of times but has been fine most of his hunts. I think conditioning of using the tail in swimming and cold water they haven’t been exposed to in a while is how they get it most of time from what I saw in my research when my dog had short issue with it. The vet gave me antiinflammatory pills for my pup. They seemed to help, but knock on wood he hasn’t needed them or had any issues in last few years and I’ve hunted him plenty!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    1,034

    Default

    Go to the vet and have them check it out- usually involves NSAIDs and rest. Hope your guy feels better
    Never confuse enthusiasm for capability

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Upstate
    Posts
    742

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    It seems to be one of the most painful spontaneously-occurring conditions I treat. Many are so painful I have to sedate them to even examine the tail.

    I also see it in large breed, labs or labx dogs after they've been bathed. I'm not sure any conditioning can properly prepare them for a BATH!!!

    Even though it's not serious and we know they won't be permanently scarred by it, it's something severe enough that if dogs could beg for pain meds, they'd be doing it. A veterinarian's care is your best bet.
    Hunting outside the box

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Florence, SC
    Posts
    2,602

    Default

    Goose got limber tail again this year. But this time he wasn't in near as much pain. Just the odd six inches of straight tail and the rest limp for a few days. And kept gnawing at it. It was his first hunt of the season and I honestly think he just got so jacked up and wagged his tail so much that he threw the muscle. A great blue heron JUST about landed on his head in the dark and after that he was so excited you could see it all over his face. He had every muscle tensed the rest of the morning. I remember saying Son you are going to get limber tail if you don't chill out.

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