What to Do if Your Dog Injures His Tail?

A happy dog is a healthy dog. Their tail is not just an extended part of their body, but it also reflects the emotion they express. If a dog is happy, they wag their tail from one end to another, or if they feed discomfort or fear, you’ll notice how they pull their tail closer to their body. A dog can only communicate with their tail and body language. You will never want to see your pet dog’s tail not wagging in joy. But there might be circumstances you can avoid, and they can injure their tail while playing around in the house or outside. 

A dog’s tail is a sensitive area prone to getting injured while wagging it too hard while playing or overusing it. In this article, you’ll read about how you can identify and take care of any injuries at home or when to consult an expert Southlake emergency vet. 

Identify the Cause of Injury

The first step is identifying how your pet dog’s tail got injured. Some of the most common reasons and ways in which your dog can get hurt are as follows: 

• Overwagging: When a dog is overexcited and continuously wags their tail against a hard surface, this can lead to a severe tail injury. Such injuries are common in large and excitable dogs. 
• Accidental trauma: It is a common reason dogs get injured. Dogs often catch their tails in cars, house dogs, or even get stepped on by people.
• Bone fracture or dislocation: In more severe cases, such as falling from a height or being stuck in a restricted area, a dog’s tail can experience a bone fracture or even dislocation, which requires immediate medical care. 
• Cuts and wounds: Dogs can easily hurt themselves while playing. Cuts and wounds are common injuries that can be treated at home. However, if you notice signs of a growing infection, please consult your vet. 

Carefully Examine the Tail 

Examining your dog’s tail before you rush them for a medical emergency is important. If they are experiencing pain or discomfort, they might react in a slightly aggressive way or whine. Don’t be scared; just approach with caution. Once they allow you to touch them, follow these instructions. 

• Wash your hands and wear gloves if possible to avoid transferring any infections to the injured area. 
• Look for different signs of visible injuries, such as cuts, swelling, and bleeding. 
• Move your hand around the tails to feel any lumps that indicate fractures. Observe any warm area that indicates infections. 

Provide Basic First-aid for Minor Injuries 

Once you have identified the cause of injury and checked the wounds, you can analyze whether the injury needs medical attention or can be treated at home. So, you can provide some basic first-aid to your dog to eliminate instant discomfort. This should include the following steps. 

• Step 1: Clean the wound with a mild antiseptic or saline solution to remove any dirt or bacteria from the open wound. Avoid using any harsh products that can increase irritation.
• Step 2: Call your vet to ask for a suitable antibiotic ointment to apply to the injured area. Make sure it is free of alcohol or harsh chemicals.
• Wrap the tail with a clean, non-sticky bandage that carefully covers the wound to avoid developing further infections. 

Observe any Signs of Infection

Even if your dog has experienced any mind or small injury, you must observe any signs of a wound that can indicate severe infection. If you observe things like warm temperature, redness, swelling, green or yellow discharge, or all of a sudden behavior change, this indicates an infection and discomfort. Immediately contact a trusted Southlake vet to seek help. 

Prevention from Aggravating the Injury

Dogs tend to lick or bite their injuries, which can aggravate them and make them take longer to heal. A few ways to prevent aggravating the injury are using an Elizabethan Collar, distracting them with toys, and keeping them under observation to stop them from licking or biting their wounds. 

Seeking Urgent Medical Care 

In many cases, seeking urgent medical care is the only solution to provide instant comfort to your dog. If you’re uncertain about handling the situation on your own, don’t hesitate to reach out to emergency veterinary services like UrgentVet, where proper care and treatment can be provided. If you observe signs like uncontrollable bleeding, lack of movement in the tail, unusual behavior, howling and whining, or fracture or dislocation, these signs call for immediate medical care. 

As a pet owner, you want to provide your beloved dog with the best life and care. Therefore, never assure or think that you know it all. Whenever you are in doubt or don’t know how to treat any injury or medical condition in your pets, it’s wiser to seek help before it gets too late. So, shortlist the best emergency medical aid for your dogs in your neighborhood and seek help when required.