Dead Tail in Dogs

In this week’s episode of The Buzby Dog Podcast, we cover a story that involves my sister’s rescue dog Banjo and a condition called dead tail. You may have never heard of dead tail, and if I hadn’t had a seasoned colleague give me some insight when I was a newly minted veterinarian, I may not have been able to give my sister some advice when she called me in distress! I had never heard “Dead Tail” mentioned in my veterinary school lectures or read about it in my textbooks. This condition is sometimes misdiagnosed as a prostate problem, anal gland impaction, fracture, disc herniation, cancer, or infection. Working dogs, such as English Pointers, Labradors, and Beagles, are the most commonly affected breeds, but it is thought to occur in all breeds. I have had a couple patients instantly improve after chiropractic adjustment of the sacrum, where the tail attaches to the skeleton, but typically treatment involves rest, anti-inflammatories, and tincture of time. In this episode I cover what my sister’s dog was experiencing and delve into what we know about this condition. Fear not, the story has a happy ending…no pun intended!