Need help! (Cold Tail)

[25-ott-06]

I think my lab which is in good shape has cold tail. He came up out of the water lame on his last retrieve today our opening day of duck season. (His tail wags no more) Is there anything I can give him for pain? Should I just wait it out till Monday then to vet for anti-inflammatory meds. I know it goes away on its own in 5 to 7 days but I really want him up and going by next week if I can. I did a search on here but more jokes then info. I’m going to also sent for Doc’s Boswellia Serrata but that won’t be here in time to help.

[GiGi Grant]

Had my first experience with it a few months back, in the middle of a show weekend. Breeder said to give him Rimadyl for inflammation, Tramadol for pain, and ONE 20 mg. pred. Ran it by our vet, and he said as long as it was just the one pred, he was fine with it. Next a.m. you'd never know he'd had a problem. Probably won't help you for now, unless you know someone who has a supply of each.

[Howard N]

It's painful for the dog. I don't know if anything helps at all. My dogs have mostly been over it in 4 days but Bam, my avatar dog, once went 11 days. (I think) She had it really bad that time and was uncomfortable trying to sit.

[Vicky Trainor]

Here's the information I had posted previously:

WHAT ARE LIMBER TAIL (COLD WATER TAIL, FROZEN TAIL, RUDDER TAIL) SYNDROME, INFRASPINATUS CONTRACTURE, AND GRACILIS MUSCLE CONTRACTURE AND MASTICATORY MUSCLE MYOSITIS

T. Mark Neer DVM, Dipl. ACVIM

1. Limber Tail Syndrome

A. History/Signalment

Breeds Commonly Affected: Labrador Retrievers, English Pointers, Foxhounds, English Setters, Beagles, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Flat-coated Retriever.
Therefore, usually seen in sporting breeds or athletic breeds, and many times those that are in the water a lot.

Age: Any age with a range of 6 months to 9 years; the most frequent age in Pointers is 2 years.

History: The typical history would go as follows: The dog is perfectly normal and then is taken out to the field or on a duck hunt and is worked very hard. Many times cold, wet weather or cage transport is also in the history. The day following the hard work-out the dog presents with a tail which hangs down from the tail base, or is held horizontally for 3 to 4 inches and then drops down. Owner believes thetail is broken because the tail is usually painful at the base and a normally stoic dog is now very uncomfortable. In Labrador retrievers, cases of limber tail are frequently associated with heavy hunting, as well as swimming or bathing with water that is too cold or too warm.

Other Potential Contributing Factors
1. Tail conformation - high tailed, active tail 2. More frequent in males (sex pre-disposition?) 3. Inadequate nutrition 4. Underconditioning 5. Overtraining 6. Length of exercise? - some dogs have exercised for as short as 30 minutes, or as long as 6 hours.

Physical Examination Findings
1. Tail is held limb and flaccid, dog will not wag tail.
2. Tail is tucked under pelvis.
3. Dorsal and ventral tail muscles at tail base are very painful. A stoic dog may attempt to bite when muscles are palpated.
4. If tail is extended toward sacrum this elicits a painful reaction.
5. Temperature normal

Diagnostics
1. On day 1 or 2 of the problem the creatine kinase (CPK) may be elevated then its level declines.
2. If radiographs of tail are taken, they will be normal.

Cause/Treatment/Prognosis
1. Cause unknown: Most likely a myositis or myopathy of tail muscles secondary to excess activity when muscles are poorly conditioned. Similar to "delayed onset muscle soreness" in humans.
2. Treatment: Since all dogs will spontaneously recover in 10-14 days no treatment is really needed (Just Rest). Although, some owners believe that recovery time is shortened if anti-inflammatory drugs are begun as soon as condition is noted. Nonetheless, dogs are much improved in 3-4 days, with better tail movement and less pain regardless of treatment, and then complete recovery is seen in 2 weeks.
3. Prognosis: Excellent, all dogs recover. It may recur in about _ of the dogs later in training.

[25-ott-06]

Thank you all.

[Angie B]

It doesn't happen often but when it does,,, 1/2 of deramax for a couple of a days and all's well...

Angie

[wheelhorse]

Breeder said to give him Rimadyl for inflammation, Tramadol for pain, and ONE 20 mg. pred.

DO NOT mix steroids (prednisone) and NSAIDs (rimadyl) together.

Badness will ensue, maybe as bad as a perforated ulcer. And yes it can happen after one dose.

[hotel4dogs]

be certain that it's cold tail, I've never seen it show up that quickly (not that I'm an expert). Normally it shows up the next day, sometimes you'll see the first signs of it the night it happens but generally not immediately like you saw. Sometimes leg injuries can mimic cold tail, believe it or not.

[ebenezer]

My guy had it about a month ago Gave him a coated asprin for 2 days and then medicalm for the third. By the forth he was lifting his tail and wagging again.

[2tall]

My dog had it a couple of times when he was two. My VETERINARIAN prescribed Rimadyl and he was over it in 5 days both times. It is a painful condition and working/training should be avoided until its gone. (I learned that here). But please, please people, stop giving suggestions for medicines unless you are a vet and have seen the dog. Seems like lately, a lot of potentially dangerous suggestions have been made. I know everyone SHOULD take what they read here with a grain of salt, but I fear that not all do!