Docking an adult dog's tail? (rottweilers, breeder, shaking, infections)
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Would you do it? We have an approximately 2-year-old boxer that we adopted from our local animal shelter. He's the first one I've ever seen with a full tail. His tail knocks over everything and I'm starting to find drops of blood on walls and carpet, no doubt from his fierce tail. Has anyone ever docked an adult boxer's tail? Was it worth the expense and elective surgery? I'm definitely not doing this for cosmetic reasons, I'm concerned for my dog (and my home!) The vet says it's up to us but would cost about $1,000. Is this a reasonable price? Any info or advice would be appreciated! Thanks!
I have done exactly what you described on my adult deaf Great Dane girl's tail. As a matter of fact, she had to have the procedure done twice The condition is called "Happy Tail," and it suggests you're a great doggie parent because the dog is so happy with his life that constant wagging and bleeding is a result. She is a very thin Dane, and everything on her is skinny, including her tail. She started having Happy Tail incidents early in life where she would wag her thin tail against the walls, injure it, and the delicate blood vessels in the tail would rupture, leaving blood splatters everywhere. My house looked like a murder scene. Several times we wrapped it and put it in a special between-the-leg sling, but it never cured the problem. It just delayed the time until the next incident.
Finally the vet and I decided to do a tail dock. At her age (2 years old) it was of course a regular surgery requiring general anesthesia, so it's much more complicated than doing it on a 2 day old pup. Nevertheless, I knew it was the only course of action, and we agreed to do the surgery. But the vet made a mistake and did not dock the tail short enough. He only removed the bloody tail end, leaving about 18" intact. He, being a kind vet, wanted to save as much tail as possible, but I wanted an end to her pain and wanted her to have a Vizla length cut to about 6", and due to a miscommunication, he didn't understand that prior to the procedure. So of course the problem still wasn't cured, as she wagged the remaining long leftover tail into the walls, and here we go again.
A few months later she went back into the O.R. for a redo dock. This time he did as I asked and docked to 6". It finally cured the problem, and although she looks rather strange being a Great Dane with a tail stump, she has no more pain and bleeding. There is a big difference between a cosmetic tail dock and a medical tail dock, OP. Happy Tail, although it sounds trivial, is a medical condition, and if it recurs, it calls for a medical tail dock as in your dog's case. I suggest you consider it. It was the only option for my dog, and we are both much Happier I suggest if you do the dock you consider about 6" as well. That length protects the behind but prevents further Happy Tail incidents, and they don't look so weird as dogs with completely docked tails.
One of the vets I worked for had to do a lab who had happy tail. He even bloodied the walls at the clinic. It looked like a murder had been committed.... Unfortunately they did the dock 3 times, and I believe the first one was also because it was too long.
Be sure to get a vet with experience the first time.
Skjones - read the last 5 pages for your answer, lots of info.
Unless the dog has seriously injured its tail, docking an adult dog's tail is unnecessary cruelty. If the docking isn't done when the pup is only days old, it shouldn't be done at all except for necessity. IMO, it's unethical, and a vet who was willing to do it wouldn't get my business if I found out that he/she did so.
Has anyone had a Great Danes tail cut off and if so how much did you pay our Great Dane is 4years old
I just posted my experiences with my Great Dane in the post directly above yours. The cost of the tail dock varies with your location. I think hers was about $600, but I don't really remember, since she had it one more than two years ago two times. The second time was because the vet didn't cut it short enough, so she was still having Happy Tail problems. The second time was a freebie because of the vet's error. Of course, Great Danes require more anesthesia than other breeds, so that's most of the reason they are more expensive. Here is a good picture showing her after the procedure had been well healed.
I just posted my experiences with my Great Dane in the post directly above yours. The cost of the tail dock varies with your location. I think hers was about $600, but I don't really remember, since she had it one more than two years ago two times. The second time was because the vet didn't cut it short enough, so she was still having Happy Tail problems. The second time was a freebie because of the vet's error. Of course, Great Danes require more anesthesia than other breeds, so that's most of the reason they are more expensive. Here is a good picture showing her after the procedure had been well healed.
Thank you for getting back to me. we take him to the vet tomorrow he will not leave his tail a lone so it can heal he keeps biting at it. He never had this problem with his original owners. We took him in because his original owners could not keep him anymore they have small kids and he kept hitting the kids with his tail so wee took him in till we can find a good home for him. But now with his tail doing this we haven't been able to find a home for him yet. He really is a great dog I jut don't really have the money to have his tail done. But I know he needs it.
He has very bad happy Tail the last thing I want to do is have it cut off
We have tried several different remedies to help him and to get it to Hill but it will not I just spent all day yesterday cleaning all the blood off my walls and floors
I really wish his tail would just get better so we would not have to go through any of this
It's most for the dog and us
Thank you for getting back to me. we take him to the vet tomorrow he will not leave his tail a lone so it can heal he keeps biting at it. He never had this problem with his original owners. We took him in because his original owners could not keep him anymore they have small kids and he kept hitting the kids with his tail so wee took him in till we can find a good home for him. But now with his tail doing this we haven't been able to find a home for him yet. He really is a great dog I jut don't really have the money to have his tail done. But I know he needs it.
Contact a great dane rescue in your area. They may be able to help with the cost of the tail docking. If he keeps injuring it and it's causing him pain, it sounds like docking it is the right thing to do.
Contact a great dane rescue in your area. They may be able to help with the cost of the tail docking. If he keeps injuring it and it's causing him pain, it sounds like docking it is the right thing to do.
They won't help OP with the cost. They'll just want to take the dog. However, many humane societies offer low cost vet care. Also, checking with low cost spay/neuter clinics can give OP some leads on less expensive veterinary care.
They won't help OP with the cost. They'll just want to take the dog. However, many humane societies offer low cost vet care. Also, checking with low cost spay/neuter clinics can give OP some leads on less expensive veterinary care.
I don't know about Great Dane rescue particular but the all breed rescue I volunteer with has an outreach fund where we help people who can't afford it with vet expenses. So there may be a rescue out there with a similar fund. Checking with humane societies and low cost spay/neuter clinics are also good ideas.
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The condition is called "Happy Tail," and it suggests you're a great doggie parent because the dog is so happy with his life that constant wagging and bleeding is a result. She is a very thin Dane, and everything on her is skinny, including her tail. She started having Happy Tail incidents early in life where she would wag her thin tail against the walls, injure it, and the delicate blood vessels in the tail would rupture, leaving blood splatters everywhere. My house looked like a murder scene. Several times we wrapped it and put it in a special between-the-leg sling, but it never cured the problem. It just delayed the time until the next incident. 
I suggest if you do the dock you consider about 6" as well. That length protects the behind but prevents further Happy Tail incidents, and they don't look so weird as dogs with completely docked tails.
