What Is Limber Tail Syndrome?
October 5, 2015
by Natalie Secretan
Sometimes called cold tail, limp tail, rudder tail, broken tail or dead tail, Limber Tail Syndrome is more common in hunting dogs like pointers, retrievers and beagles, but any dog with an undocked tail can be affected. The first thing you need to know is that it’s not serious and it will go away after a few days of rest.
Limber Tail Syndrome is something I hadn’t heard of until my hound Layla’s very springy tail suddenly lost its zest for life. It happened a short while after her spaying surgery. After the two weeks of recommended rest, we returned to the dog park with as much vim and vigour as before we had left. Layla had two weeks of pent-up energy to run off and she wasn’t wasting any time.
It wasn’t until the following morning that I noticed the spring had gone out of her tail. It hung at a weird angle – straight out at a right angle and then drooping down, as if someone had bent it in two. After a little research, I discovered it was Limp Tail Syndrome – an inflammation of the base of the tail caused from over-exertion, (and sometimes from swimming in frigid waters, hence the name cold tail). Kind of like when you return to the gym after several months and then can’t move the next day because your muscles are so sore.
The good news is that Limber Tail Syndrome is not pathological – that is, it’s not an indication of poor health and it doesn’t progress into something worse. All your dog needs is a few days of rest and they’ll be holding their tails up high once again. And there’s more good news. Many dogs only experience limp tail once in their lifetimes. Just because they get it once doesn’t mean they will continually suffer from it. In fact, it’s quite rare for regular occurrences of Limber Tail Syndrome to happen again. And it doesn’t require a visit to the vet.
There has been quite a bit of extensive research done on Limber Tail Syndrome, and one study out of Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine by Janet Steiss, DVM, PhD, PT says that most vets will misdiagnose the problem, and usually after a slew of expensive tests. Your dog’s tail is an indicator of their health and mood, so a droopy tail is cause for concern.
While Limber Tail Syndrome is nothing new, it’s very rare and most vets are not familiar with treating the symptom and could mistake it for any number of disorders and ailments from inflamed prostate gland or anal glands to a caudal spine injury or a broken tail and sometimes even a spinal cord disease. And a sprained tail, it is not. It is an inflammation of the coccygeal muscles near the base of the tail.
So if you’ve signed up your couch potato dog for a weekend of adventure chasing rabbits in the countryside, or you think your retriever will enjoy a polar bear dip as much as you do, think again! Be aware of the symptoms of Limber Tail Syndrome before you rush to the vet. And remember – never grab your dog by the tail.