# Tail spodylosis



## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

A lady in class had a GSD with spondylosis at the end of the tail. It was sold to her as pet quality puppy.

I see the AKC mentions spondylosis of the tail as a disqualifying fault. I read a translation of the FCI standard and didn't see mention of it. Is it in the FCI standard?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I was just reading Fred Lanting's article on TVS. TVS predisposes a dog to problems like spondylosis and cauda equina. In the article there is a quote from a judge of a BSZS who made a comment about "dead tails" (here it is in the context of CES but I suppose a dead tail is a dead tail whether it is CES or spondylosis):



> From SV judge and then-chief-Körmeister Leonhard Schweikert regarding the bitches at the huge GSD Sieger Show in Bremen, 2000 we have this comment: “With respect to the evaluation of the rear, I noticed in more than one case a lifeless or nearly lifeless tail. This is a very worrisome fact, as this is one of the first indications of a cauda equina syndrome (CES). We must look into this topic in the near future in more depth.” (Translation by Susanne Stramm.)


http://www.grunfeldshepherds.com/articles/lanting/pdfs/TVS.pdf


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

That is a good article!

I don't think it talks about the condition the puppy has unless I don't understand. The last two or so vertebrae at the very tai; tip are funky, tipped up. Does this tend to other problems? Does the FCI address it as an issue?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I'm not really sure but what I took from the quote was that it must not be a DQ if these dogs are showing at the BSZS, but that was 11 years ago.

And I agree, it's a great article. My dog has a few of the conditions addressed in the article and I found this article alone the most informative thing so far.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

The spondylosis at tge end of the tail is not a dead tail at all. It is not something in the spine. It is the last couple little bones in the tail bent. That got me wondering if the Germans DQ this bent tail end as the AKC does.

Iy looks to me that the conditions in the article would require radiographs to diagnose. A dead tail could be observed though.

What I saw was a clumpy tail end that can be felt as one goes down a tail in examination.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Weird, haven't seen that! I have heard of people breaking dogs' tails to get a more correct tail carriage for the SV ring.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Oh shoot!! It is called ankylosis! Boy, did I confuse that one!


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