Have you noticed that dogs and horses always get sick on Sunday nights or holidays? Maybe that isn’t true… but when you are really scared for your buddy, it seems like it always happens during the most expensive time to call out the vet – or bring your dog into the ER.
Same last night (Sunday night).
I noticed that Natty was crying – yelping. I went to see what was wrong and he was just standing there, crying. He could walk, there was no blood, but his tail was between his legs and he looked miserable. He kept looking at his hind end and trying to nip at the base of his tail, but he would not let me touch or look. I couldn’t get near his hind end.
Hubby was home so we tried, but we both were unable to secure him without extreme howling. We thought that we were hurting him by holding him, so we called the ER – Sunday night emergency hospital in Atascadero. They are wonderful, by the way.
Hubby drove Natty down there.
This is normal Natty. Top dog, tail up, always happy, always moving and wagging, mouth open.
NORMAL NATTY
Normal Natty is top dog, tail up, always happy, always moving, always wagging, mouth open.
Not now.
You see… Hubby had to leave Natty at the ER and come home (Covid rules). Just as we had settled into a late dinner, the phone rang. It was the ER vet. I watched as Hubby took the call.
Hubby: Uh huh, OK…
Vet: (blah blah blah undiscernable mumblings via phone, blah blah)
Hubby: REally? Oh, uh huh. hmmm.
Vet: (more undiscernable mumblings)
Hubby (sniggering and laughing under his breath): OK, hee hee, ha, I’ll come get him…
I couldn’t stand it, so I jumped up and asked, “What??!!”
HE SPRAINED HIS TAIL FROM WAGGING IT TOO HARD!
I didn’t even know a dog could do that. He is just too happy! He wagged his tail so hard, he sprained it.
A trip back to the ER and we now have a dog with a broken tail and doggie anti-inflammatories.
Swollen, no tail up.
Mom, it hurts! His tail is not working.
THE LITTLE OPPORTUNIST
And as soon as Natty broke his tail (well, sprained his tail…) Vivey put hers right up there! She is top dog right now, and loving it.
Her time as queen will be short-lived. So enjoy it while you can, Vivey!
Here Vivey is picking on him with HER tail up. She never carries hers that high.
Again, just hanging in the back yard… his tail is sick and down. Vivey’s tail is UP. We never see this.
THANK YOU THANK YOU!
SEPTEMBER BUCKET FUND: In honor of Donna (my mother), Let’s help 10 neglected and starved oldsters! September Bucket Fund: “Donna’s 10!”
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When my husband and I adopted our first dog we went to the beach and at the end of the day noticed he couldn’t hold his tail up and seemed too quiet. We couldn’t find a vet open at the coast, so drive back to Portland to Dove Lewis. Sprained tail was the diagnosis. Felt like new parents over-reacting to symptoms