My brother’s dog Lily Biscuits is an American Staffordshire Terrier, one of several breeds you may know better as pit bulls. Lily lost half her tail to an injury that never healed — but that doesn’t stop her from wagging her thump-a-stump when she’s happy!
A tail wag injury can be a serious issue — it can lead to infection and in cases like Lily’s, gangrene and amputation. Very large dogs with long tails, like pit bulls, Labradors, and Irish wolfhounds can be prone to injuries inflicted by a vigorous wagging. The tail bangs into furniture, walls, or other objects and develops an injury, often an open wound. Often, it’s just the tip of the tail that gets hurt.
If the injured tail is bleeding, the dog will naturally want to lick it. Given time, the tail will heal, but may get re-injured again and again. If the wound isn’t treated properly, an infection can develop — this is what happened to Lily. Her bandages weren’t changed often enough and the infection got very bad. If the tail is injured repeatedly, it can also become infected! It isn’t uncommon to see a long-tailed big dog need a tail tip amputated after an infection.
How do you treat a tail wag injury at home?
- Trim the fur around the wounded area.
- Clean the wound with an antiseptic and/or antibacterial soap.
- Try a hot compress if the wound is infected — soak a washcloth in warm water and apply it to the wound for five minutes on and five minutes off to bring fresh blood and antibodies to the area.
- Keep your pet calm and confined to prevent further tail damage.
- Keep your pet from licking with an Elizabethan collar.
- Give an antihistamine like Benadryl to help keep the swelling down.
You can prevent re-injury by rearranging furniture a little — to leave enough room for vigorous wagging!