Rumble
my boxer has broken his tail..it's very swollen warm to touch and painful what should I do and what are complications if left untreated
Symptoms:
Lumps And Swellings
One Response to “broken tail”:
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Master Advisor Matthew says:
December 09th, 2007 at 04:30 PM
Hi, I am assuming that your boxer is undocked - a rarity these days but I have always personally liked the look of a boxer with a tail. Has your dog had xrays to confirm that the tail is broken? If so, is the tail fractured or dislocated? The main issue with broken tails in animals is whether the nerves are still intact. You can tell this by pinching the end of the tail and seeing if your dog reacts to the painful stimulus. If pain can be felt, then the prognosis for the tail is good. It is highly likely then that a longish (3-4wk) course of NSAID painkillers (e.g. rimadyl) will be all that is required. The tail may heal with a bit of a kink in it. If pain cannot be felt when pinching the end, it would probably be better to amputate the tail. It will just get in the way and get traumatised. In the meantime, if you are unable to get to a vet, put some ice in a towel or frozen peas on the swelling to reduce it. There is no point in bandaging the tail unless it is actually bleeding. Good luck.
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