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Author Topic: Limber Tail  (Read 2540 times)

Offline SnowDog

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Limber Tail
« on: October 18, 2010, 05:19:44 PM »
My 16 mo Lab and I hunted hard Thursday - Sunday, first for quail and then two days of ducks. On Sunday I noticed his tail was hanging limp and he had some pain in the base of his tail. Otherwise he did not seem sick and the tail was not broken. When I got home Sunday evening, I researched tail issues online and found out that this is a not so rare issue with hunting dogs called "Limber Tail" or "Cold Water Tail".

This issue was news to me, so I figured I'd share the info in case any of you see this in your dogs after a strenuous day or two of hunting. Here is a great article on the problem.

http://www.ducks.org/Hunting/OpeningDay/5122/ALessoninLimberTail.html?poe=od

Cheers!
SD

---------------------------------------------------------------
Dogs have all the qualities God said man should have but don't: Faithfulness, Steadfastness, Dependability, Loyalty, Forgiveness, Devotion, Hope, and Love!

Offline jackelope

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Re: Limber Tail
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2010, 05:22:35 PM »
My dog got it after I gave him a bath outside with the garden hose one coldish day....man I was wondering what kind of a wuss dog did I have?
 :chuckle:

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" In today's instant gratification society, more and more pressure revolves around success and the measurement of one's prowess as a hunter by inches on a score chart or field photos produced on social media. Don't fall into the trap. Hunting is-and always will be- about the hunt, the adventure, the views, and time spent with close friends and family. " Ryan Hatfield

My posts, opinions and statements do not represent those of this forum

Offline Happy Gilmore

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Re: Limber Tail
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2010, 10:11:19 AM »
Its also called cold tail. It will go away in about a week. Don't exercise or swim your dog until it is 100% gone. They can get it just from wagging their tail alot on a hunt but, usually from doing a lot of swimming.

Here's a picture of Kaie the first time she got it. It was partially recovered at this point.



"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checked by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt 1899

Offline quadrafire

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Re: Limber Tail
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2010, 10:14:58 AM »
Yes, very common. Mostly a swimming related problem. No long term consequences. Kinda like an over use injury. But it is very painful at the beginning.

Offline luvtohnt

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Re: Limber Tail
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2010, 10:27:55 AM »
My older dog get it regularly when I am working on getting her in shape for hunting season. I have found that she will recover in about 2 days if she is allowed to rest and kept calm. However my 1 year old puppy has never experienced it yet, I think she is way to high energy. I have swam her for 1.5 hours throwing the dummy and she never slows down. It is good to know what it is actually called because I always tell my wife they have broken tails!!

Brandon

Offline Machias

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Re: Limber Tail
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2010, 01:46:06 PM »
My boys used to get it when I just mentioned work.   :chuckle: :chuckle:
Fred Moyer

When it's Grim, be the GRIM REAPER!

Offline Dustin07

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Re: Limber Tail
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2010, 03:21:55 PM »
my dalmatian got it one time. I heard it was called swimmers tail. I felt bad for her, thought it was broke or something at first!

 


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