Just a heads up:

I had never heard of this before, but after 3 days of hard pheasant hunting in an area with a fair amount of birds, my 6 yr old fieldbred Springer came up with a goofy looking and extremely sore tail.
Her tail looked like it was broken about a third of of the way out...and man was she ever touchy around the base of it. She couldn't wag it at all.

It happens with Labs, most commonly....but, if you have hunted with Fieldbred ESS's you know how their tails go when they are on birds... like vibrators!


I googled the symptoms and learned more about it.
Wheww... I'm glad I did that. I was really worried.
She's doing fine now... a week later.

this can happen from an infected anal gland, I know there are other things, but this happened to my black lab 2 years ago. Pretty easy fix by the vet.

mike

Yep... our other (older) Springer has that. It comes and goes with her..
We have had older dogs with that issue in the past, too.

Yes even short tailed hunting dogs can get this, its not limited to just labs. Our Griffon had this a year ago, give some pain meds if in a ton of pain, we used an anti-inflamatory also, and some time off and they will be fine. I also have heard that once this happens they can be predisposed to it happening again.

Our Fieldbred springers have their tails. (not docked)
So this happens to Griffs, too? Wow.

Yes... I read where they are likely to get it again under the right circumstances...Usually from swimming in really cold water... or from not being in tip- top shape and then worked hard.

My dog is fine now.
:)

Also called swimmers tail, and it does not need to be cold water. Took our Springer swimming this past August in 70 degree water and had it happen. After a couple days he was fine.

He was in good shape, I just think the added weight/resistance of the water really makes the tail muscle work that much harder.

If you wagged your bottom on a gym machine for half a day, would it hurt. . . would you be dragging your tail? Would it be sensitive?

Don't over excersize your dog. Build endurance slowly.

4 months out from opening day, start the excersie program - for both you and your sweet cheeks dog. Every other day, do the necessary and increase the effort/distance/time every week thereafter.

Noah...thanks for the advice.

Since you "have to ask"...please allow me to explain.

I posted this because it is not all that well known, nor very common malady.
Actually, I have been hunting birds over dogs for over 50 years...and had never seen it before.

I work this dog several times a week all summer and even some in winter.
This particular dog has been hunting 2-3 days a week since bird season opened here, on Sept 1.
She is in awesome shape. I hunted her 4 days last week with no issues, either.

So... for her to have Limbertail, really surprised me. She really had me worried.
When I found out what it was...I was relieved.
I was hoping to potentially ease other WC members who might not be aware of this thing, either.

In the attached photo, the dog in question is the black and white one. :)