Treating Limber Tail Syndromeįortunately, most cases of Limber Tail Syndrome resolve on their own within 2-3 days. If the dog’s tail was fine, and then suddenly it wasn’t (especially if the episode occurs after swimming or vigorous activity), this usually indicates the onset of the syndrome rather than a more serious condition. This is where clinical history becomes very important. Since a limp tail can also be a sign of neurological or metabolic disorders, spinal tumors, tail fractures, infections, or other diseases, Limber Tail Syndrome can often be mistaken for something far more serious. This can usually be accomplished with x-rays and careful palpation (an examination done by a veterinarian gently moving the dog’s tail and feeling the bones from the outside). Diagnosisĭiagnosing Limber Tail Syndrome can be done by ruling out other causes of injury, including tail fractures or spinal trauma. In any case, almost all affected dogs will return to normal within a few days with no permanent damage. Strangely enough, some dogs who are bathed with water that is too cold or too warm, or dogs who are exposed to cold, wet weather, may also exhibit symptoms of Limber Tail Syndrome, although no one knows exactly why. Dogs who are transported for long distances by car or plane may arrive at their destination with Limber Tail. Dogs can also develop Limber Tail Syndrome from being confined in crates for long periods of time. Limber Tail Syndrome can occur after swimming, or after a busy day of hunting or field work that requires heavy tail action. The muscles become inflamed and swell, which can in turn cause surrounding connective tissue to tighten up, partially cutting off blood supply to the dog’s tail. This sudden onset condition is usually caused by overworking the coccygeal muscles located at the base of the dog’s tail.
The video below shows what a dog with Limber Tail Syndrome may look like: And tail wagging temporarily becomes all but impossible.
In some dogs, the hair near the base of their tails may appear raised due to swelling in the area. They may also pace, change positions very gingerly, or cry out while trying to urinate or defecate. Understandably, many dog parents who witness this condition believe that their dog’s tail must have somehow become broken.īecause their tails are so painful, dogs with Limber Tail Syndrome may have a hard time sitting or lying down. This painful condition causes the tail of the dog to either hang completely down between the legs from the base of the tail, or stick straight out horizontally for 3-4 inches, then drop straight down. Limber Tail Syndrome (also known as “acute caudal myopathy” in the veterinary world and “Sprung Tail”, “Cold Tail”, or “Broken Wag” amongst dog parents) is a muscle injury that is more common in working dogs such as Labs, Pointers, Foxhounds, Setters, and Beagles, but can occur in any dog with a long tail. So What Is Limber Tail Syndrome?įortunately, the Lab’s condition sounded much more ominous than it was. Hours later, his tail had suddenly “stopped working”. As did the dog’s owner, who insisted that his dog had been just fine until he had gone swimming in a large nearby lake earlier that day. The veterinarian I worked with at the time referred to it as “Dead Tail”, which I thought sounded rather alarming. Being a Lab (which of course made him, by nature, perpetually happy), this poor dog was desperately trying to wag his tail, but it was hanging defiantly, limp and lifeless at an odd angle between his back legs. Years ago while working in a small animal veterinary practice in Ohio, I saw my first case of Limber Tail Syndrome in a big, handsome, yellow Labrador Retriever.