If your dog is an exuberant tail wagger, like one that I know (Jeff Smith), he will smack it against the corner of the treat table, or the wall and you can hear that it hits hard sometimes. I was reading an blog about a dog named Woody who sprained his tail from wagging too hard! WHAT!?! is there such a thing as too big of a wag?
Picture to the right: Jeff Smith, the winner two years in a row of our Annual Biggest Wag Contest.
About the Tail
Dogs wag their tail to communicate. The more excited or aggravated they are the more vigorous the wag. A damaged tail can be extremely painful. Veterinarian John A. Bukowski explains that tails are just a continuation of the spine. It is made up from 6 to 23 additional vertebrae. It has significant nerves near the base that contributes to the control of bowels.
Injury
Injuries to the tail are common. Vigorous wagging may smack the tail hard agaisnt a wall, piece of furniture, causing break, bruise, or sprain. A tail casn also be bitten by another dog, caught in doors, or even stepped on, if not careful. You can tell when your pooch's tail is injured when it droops and stops wagging. Check for swelling and tenderness.
Repair and Care
Tail injuries can be extremely painful. If a broken tail is crooked, it could heal that was if not set and splinted correctly. If you think your dog has sprained or injured his tail from too much wagging or any other reasons, you should take your dog to your local vet, immediately to avoid amputation or any other serious repair that could be avoided.
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