# Broken tail



## wolfmonte (Aug 28, 2019)

Is my puppy's tail broken?

Once my sister accidentally closed the door when puppy was jumping out of the car. He was 12 weeks. Now he is 17 weeks, his tail looks weird.

Is it broken or some weird GSD growth thing.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

The only way for anyone to tell that is if you take him to the vet and have an xray done.


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## mike98 (Oct 6, 2019)

wolfmonte said:


> Is my puppy's tail broken?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It doesn't look good always vet especially the way it looks what happens when you try to touch it 

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## wolfmonte (Aug 28, 2019)

mike98 said:


> It doesn't look good always vet especially the way it looks what happens when you try to touch it
> 
> Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk


Thanks my vet didn't comment on the tail during last visit. I will bring it up in next visit. Touching doesn't bother him.


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## mike98 (Oct 6, 2019)

wolfmonte said:


> Thanks my vet didn't comment on the tail during last visit. I will bring it up in next visit. Touching doesn't bother him.


No reaction at all does he wag it or any thing 

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## wolfmonte (Aug 28, 2019)

mike98 said:


> No reaction at all does he wag it or any thing
> 
> Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk


He does wag his tail lightly. But touching doesn't do anything.


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## mike98 (Oct 6, 2019)

wolfmonte said:


> He does wag his tail lightly. But touching doesn't do anything.


Hmm I would get him there sooner than later 

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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I can't help because I haven't dealt with that issue, yet. Tails can be a real pain when they have damage to the end, because they keep breaking open. I don't know what they might do for a broken tail. Surgery? wrapping it with vet-wrap? I would definitely take him to the vet and get it x-rayed to see what you are working with, and then you might want to go to an ortho-vet.


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## mike98 (Oct 6, 2019)

selzer said:


> I can't help because I haven't dealt with that issue, yet. Tails can be a real pain when they have damage to the end, because they keep breaking open. I don't know what they might do for a broken tail. Surgery? wrapping it with vet-wrap? I would definitely take him to the vet and get it x-rayed to see what you are working with, and then you might want to go to an ortho-vet.


Idk what they would do either but it might not be broken could be like a dislocation imagine having a dislocated finger and not going to the doctor right away I would have had him there right away just because I have never had this happen before and would want to know what it was and how to fix it and make sure everything is ok and not in pain not insinuating anything just the way I am I come across something I don't know about it I research and go to people who do 

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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

A lot of puppies are drama-queens, but GSDs, even puppies often have a huge pain tolerance. Instinctively, they are more likely to show aggression when in pain than crying or displaying typical symptoms of pain. We just have to keep this in mind and always err on the side of doing too much, vet-wise, than not enough.


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## mike98 (Oct 6, 2019)

selzer said:


> A lot of puppies are drama-queens, but GSDs, even puppies often have a huge pain tolerance. Instinctively, they are more likely to show aggression when in pain than crying or displaying typical symptoms of pain. We just have to keep this in mind and always err on the side of doing too much, vet-wise, than not enough.


Exactly and there like a new born cant tell you what is wrong I'm very protective especially with them they can't talk like us idk I literally watched my bruno gain 25bpounds in 36 hours no bull **** Wednesday night he was fine thursday ok didn't notice anything friday morning he was lethargic notified his belly was distended vet 25 pound tumor defined edges out of his spleen went from billerica to Dartmouth (my vet) Dartmouth to tufts just forget where it is but in between Dartmouth and billerica surgery at 10 years old took spleen and tumor in one piece 25 pounds cost a ton of money 8k ish maybe more cant remember but they come out ask us while we are in there want us to glue his stomach because of all the extra room worried about it twisting I look the vet in the eye and say did you see any hesitation from either of us about the sergury of course do the stomach few days later he was fine lived 4 and a half years later just had to take it easy to heal the stitches idc if he had 2 months if he was comfortable not in pain I would spend the money over and over again no hesitation I'm not having kids my dogs are literally my kids anything they need take it 

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## mike98 (Oct 6, 2019)

selzer said:


> A lot of puppies are drama-queens, but GSDs, even puppies often have a huge pain tolerance. Instinctively, they are more likely to show aggression when in pain than crying or displaying typical symptoms of pain. We just have to keep this in mind and always err on the side of doing too much, vet-wise, than not enough.


But if it your first dog you would fall for it but if you have experience even if there not fussing the pic doesn't really help us can't see it like you are there but for something like that better safe then sorry because he might be ok with you touching him what happens if it is a kid or neighbor petting him like normal ****y way to find out hes in pain by snapping at someone I'm just very cautious with my dogs I don't trust people and everyone I dont care if it's close people to you everyone will sue 

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## Frisco19 (Aug 12, 2019)

wolfmonte said:


> Is my puppy's tail broken?
> 
> Once my sister accidentally closed the door when puppy was jumping out of the car. He was 12 weeks. Now he is 17 weeks, his tail looks weird.
> 
> Is it broken or some weird GSD growth thing.


Hey there, I am sure you have seen my thread here:

https://www.germanshepherds.com/for...slight-kink-tail-injured-normal-born-way.html

Funny how we are paralleling our pups. So, I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing wrong with his tail. With Long Haired, you definitely get drastic changes in coat throughout the body. Yours is very similar to my guys where he's got that thick wavy stuff on this back the leads 4 inches or so around the tail. It stops hard and circular and meets the shorter hair on the tail. I think this is where you think the break is which is exactly the same spot I questioned. It gives a visual illusion that there is a kink. If this is the place you are questioning, I think that's what you are seeing. In terms of the car door, that's a pretty high spot to close the door on, I can't imagine it, his butt would have to be sitting on the door jam. Try to feel each vertebra slowly running your hand down the tail. Do you feel anything out of line or swelling? Also take note of the drop off with your hand as you move from the thick stuff to the thinner stuff. It's a big drop off. Get a fruminator if you don't have one and brush the crap out of his hind to the thick tail stuff. Try to thin it out and see what it looks like. This is what I have been doing. The thick stuff is still the puppy stuff. Used to have it all down his back. He is slowly shedding it.

Since I posted that thread, the thick stuff has receded toward the hind and is now where yours is. This is how I know its the hair and not a break or kink. Kinks don't move.


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## wolfmonte (Aug 28, 2019)

mike98 said:


> But if it your first dog you would fall for it but if you have experience even if there not fussing the pic doesn't really help us can't see it like you are there but for something like that better safe then sorry because he might be ok with you touching him what happens if it is a kid or neighbor petting him like normal ****y way to find out hes in pain by snapping at someone I'm just very cautious with my dogs I don't trust people and everyone I dont care if it's close people to you everyone will sue
> 
> Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk


Thanks for replies. It's just his longer fur emerging. I gave him bath and realized that it wasn't there and the fur is weirdly wavy at this age.


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## wolfmonte (Aug 28, 2019)

Frisco19 said:


> Hey there, I am sure you have seen my thread here:
> 
> https://www.germanshepherds.com/for...slight-kink-tail-injured-normal-born-way.html
> 
> ...


You are right. It was just his adult hair growing. I bathed him and saw that tail looks fine.


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## Frisco19 (Aug 12, 2019)

wolfmonte said:


> You are right. It was just his adult hair growing. I bathed him and saw that tail looks fine.




Here you go. Best I could do, he was pretty beat from daycare. Let me know what you think compared to your guy.


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## wolfmonte (Aug 28, 2019)

Frisco19 said:


> Here you go. Best I could do, he was pretty beat from daycare. Let me know what you think compared to your guy.




Thanks for the photos. He looks a lot like Marco, but maybe a bit taller. They all grow at different rates.


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## cvamoca (Jul 12, 2019)

My girl Daisy was born May 12th, so she's 5 months. Plain ordinary GSD, American showline-ish (I think.) She's growing in a wavy coat too, but that's just the stage, the first coat after their puppy coats. It started at her butt and slowly crept up to her neck over the past 2 or 3 weeks. 
Her parents are stock coats, but had a couple long haired pups last year and this year. 
I expect her to be like her brother from last year or like Ellie, just looking at her ear fluff.
Edit again- It's REALLY hard to take her picture, she is usually attached to me, or to Ellie or both.


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## Frisco19 (Aug 12, 2019)

cvamoca said:


> My girl Daisy was born May 12th, so she's 5 months. Plain ordinary GSD, American showline-ish (I think.) She's growing in a wavy coat too, but that's just the stage, the first coat after their puppy coats. It started at her butt and slowly crept up to her neck over the past 2 or 3 weeks.
> Her parents are stock coats, but had a couple long haired pups last year and this year.
> I expect her to be like her brother from last year or like Ellie, just looking at her ear fluff.
> Edit again- It's REALLY hard to take her picture, she is usually attached to me, or to Ellie or both.




Thanks for sharing. Frisco was born 5/28. It’s hard to get a good picture standing, they rarely stop moving. Frisco needs a brush down in these pics. Just got home from daycare play all day in the rain.


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## Mercedes33 (Feb 18, 2021)

Frisco19 said:


> Hey there, I am sure you have seen my thread here:
> 
> Slight kink in tail - injured, normal or born this way?
> 
> ...


Thank you very much for posting this. My little girl is a 14 week long haired shepherd and has the same "dented" looking tail. I was concerned and decided to so some research before bringing her to the vet for x-rays. Im relived that Its just natural. (still might at least point it out the the vet to be safe on her next visit.)


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