# Tail amputation?



## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

Hi all

Has anyone had to have their dogs tail amputated? If so has the dog had difficulties adjusting to it?

I just got home from the vet. I took Mojo in on Monday to have a small lump under her tail checked out (the Vet originally thought earlier this year that it was just another sebaceous gland cyst) 
It had gotten bigger and looks pretty raw. 
So the vet took a biopsy and sent it off to get pathology results. Turns out they found spindle cells which apparently often get linked to nerve cell cancer. 
So tomorrow she's going to take the lump off and try to get clean margins (there's not much to work with on a tail sadly) she said she will have to leave it as an open wound as it's not possible to stitch closed.
The lump will be sent off to check that she managed to remove everything - if she hasn't Mojo will have to have her tail amputated 

Please keep your fingers crossed that she mages to get it all off!


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## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

I know the idea of having a tail-less dog isn't nice, but I remember a case at my old clinic where we had a lab come in with a mass under her tail right near the base. I don't remember what it came back as, but the owners opted to have it removed, no amputation. Well the area would not close properly and the owners kept having to come back. In the end we ended up amputating the tail and the dog was fine.


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

Hope everything works out ok


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

You should pm Shepherdmom. She rescued a GSD not too long ago that had to have her tail amputated. I think the dog adjusted nicely.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Mojo!


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

I hope everything turns out OK. 

It must save a lot of Christmas ornaments though.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

One of my family's labs growing up had to get his tail amputated. He adjusted just fine! It was a tragic loss, though...he has one of the BEST lab tails I've ever seen! His butt had a cute little white rabbit look after that.....I don't have a picture of him on this computer, but here's a picture of a picture


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

keeping fingers crossed for Mojo.


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

Sorry to hear about her troubles..hate to hear your news..


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## GsdLoverr729 (Jun 20, 2010)

My first shepherd had to have his tail amputated at 3.5 yrs. He didn't miss a beat


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## GSD2 (Jan 27, 2012)

I know of someone whose puppy had to have it's tail amputated due to an injury at birth. This dog does anything any other dog can do, plus some. I have seen pictures of them on a board (surf board, I think) on a lake, they hike and do many water sports, very active dog and owner, it doesn't appear to bother the dog in the least.

I'm sorry to hear that you are going through this, I hope they are able to get clean margins with the biopsy/removal of the mass. Dogs don't seem to react like people, even when a leg is amputated they seem to adjust quite well. 

I hope everything works out well for you and the removal of the mass will be all that is necessary.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Bear GSD said:


> You should pm Shepherdmom. She rescued a GSD not too long ago that had to have her tail amputated. I think the dog adjusted nicely.
> I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Mojo!


Tasha had to have her tail amputated shortly before we got her. She was 6 almost 7 years old. She was wobbly at first but has adjusted quite nicely. It doesn't seem to bother her at all. On the plus side she doesn't sweep over stuff left on the coffee table like the other dogs do.


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## Renofan2 (Aug 27, 2010)

My Libby (who passed away Feb 2012) had her tail amputated after a sebacious cyst burst and she chewed it to the bone. I tried to have the tail saved - surgery twice, wrapping every other day for 6 months, but it woudn't heal. She lost 1/2 the tail - and never noticed a thing.


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## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

Thanks for all the lovely comments, they made me feel much better 

It honestly won't bother me at all if she does loose her tail, I was just worried how it would affect her 
I guess Dobes and Rotties do just fine without tails - but then they are usually docked as puppies.
I'll keep updating on how she's going


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

i hope all goes well, but imho, since i have seen 3 legged dogs running with the four legged dogs and doing fine, your pup will adapt without a tail if need be.


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Keeping everything crossed here that the results come back clear :hugs:


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

what does that mean?



MichaelE said:


> I hope everything turns out OK.
> 
> >>>> It must save a lot of Christmas ornaments though.<<<<


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i hope the surgery is a success. your dog is going
to be find it she doesn't have a tail.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

doggiedad said:


> what does that mean?


i would think it means a wagging tail won;t send christmas ornaments across the room.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I had a large GSD mix that at 6 years old got his tail caught in the bumper of a truck. It wouldn't heal and we decided it was best to remove it. There wasn't any difference in the dog at all. None. He even ignored the stump after surgery (we were warned that he might have 'ghost' itches).


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Ask your vet about giving neurontin (gabapentin) for a few weeks post-surgery. We had a boy here, a foster who was so badly neglected he lost his tail, and he wanted to bite it for a few weeks, adding gabapentin seemed to help with the "phantom pains" he seemed to be getting.
He had a pain patch for about 3-4 days after as well.


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## sashadog (Sep 2, 2011)

Fingers crossed that the tail can be saved but if you do have to have it amputated, I don't think Mojo would miss a beat  We just had Sasha's leg amputated because of cancer in September and after the stitches healed, she's more full of spunk than she was before the surgery! She doesn't have a painful leg to drag around anymore and she can still beat every single one of our dogs to the ball  She still swims and hikes and runs without an issue. People sometimes react negatively but she is much happier without her leg


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## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

Best wishes for your girl Mojo.


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## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

Well the tail is gone!
After they shaved the area for surgery the Vet discovered a few more lumps that looked suspicious - so we decided to go the amputation route.
Her butt looks quite cute now, she's got a little stump like a rottie - but it's fuzzy  I think it's gonna be a very wriggly butt instead of a waggy tail 

I have not been able to have a really good look at it yet, I'll check it out and take some pictures in the morning if she's feeling a bit better.
She still very groggy and asleep in her crate - I have an elizabethan collar here in case she wants to bother her sutures. She had pain relief and I got some painkillers for the next few days. 
She's been a bit confused by the lack of tail, she's fine laying down but when she gets up she spins around to her butt.
It's so hot here, over 104 degrees  Makes keeping her comfortable in the crate pretty tricky. (we don't have a good aircon)



> Ask your vet about giving neurontin (gabapentin) for a few weeks post-surgery


msvette2u would you recommend this routinely or just if she shows symptoms of phantom pain?
My Vet is very good at what she does but they are a real country vet practice, very matter of fact - she didn't mention anything about drugs incase of phantom pain, is that a common occurrence?

Now it's just fingers crossed that nothing bad has spread to any other part of her body - we should get the pathology results off the tail on tuesday. Fingers crossed it was a localised thing!!!!


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Well I'd start her on it before the other pain killers wore off and keep her on for a week or two, just in case? Because once it starts, if it does, it may be harder to stop it.


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

I am sorry to read this and hope she has a smooth recovery.


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## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

She's doing well so far, much brighter today than yesterday - she was really out of it and the horrible heat didn't help  
She's still on pain relief obviously but is eating and drinking well now.
Today she walked around with me a little but she still gets "surprised" and goes to check on her tail so she's wearing a bucket 

And I think her butt is gonna look really cute once the hair grows back she's gonna have a little fluffy bob


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Mooch said:


> She's doing well so far, much brighter today than yesterday - she was really out of it and the horrible heat didn't help
> She's still on pain relief obviously but is eating and drinking well now.
> Today she walked around with me a little but she still gets "surprised" and goes to check on her tail so she's wearing a bucket
> 
> And I think her butt is gonna look really cute once the hair grows back she's gonna have a little fluffy bob


Tasha's bob is adorable. Especially when she starts wagging it.  I think your girl will be just fine. It is just going to take some time.


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## donmacneill (Aug 25, 2015)

my 8 year old shepherd needs his tail amputated its scheduled for today we are sick over this


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Hi don,
So sorry you and your Fur Baby are going thru this.

I think you will get more support from others here if you started your own thread since this is an old one. You could explain the circumstances of this pending amputation.

Hoping for a successful recovery.

Moms


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## MamaofLEO (Aug 8, 2014)

Our ridgie had a tumor in that region and lost his tail at age 8...he adjusted well (much more wiggly bottom and continued to wag "phantom tail"!) He had lost his ridge (spinal surgery three times) and was a real trooper through the tail surgery. The worst part was finding a good e-collar (ring) so he wouldn't open wound---for him (he was @68 lbs) we used a soft collar (like this -->http://www.amazon.com/Comfy-Cone-E-Collar-Large-Black/dp/B000XY7CKE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1440521615&sr=8-2&keywords=collar+for+dog+surgery)

and then went to this blow-up Elizabethan-type collar--> http://www.amazon.com/KONG-Cloud-E-Collar-Collar-Large/dp/B0045Y1JGG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440521510&sr=8-1&keywords=collar+for+dog+surgery). The plastic ones were the worst! 

But he recovered to enjoy 5+ years!
Good luck to your pup!


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## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

Oh I just saw that this thread has been brought up again  

Hi Don

If it makes you feel better my Mojo (who the original post was about) has not missed a beat - it's been over 2 years now and I can't even remember what she looked like with a tail  she has little stumpy tail that is the most adorable thing in the world when she's excited and wagging it a lot.

She was very sore for a few days after the surgery but within a week she was back to being happy. She had no issues at all, runs jumps and swims no worries. 
And hey who needs a tail anyway  
Stumpy Shepherds rule 

I hope all went well, how did your dog go?


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