I had set up an appointment to "dock" her tail about a month ago but the Vet called back prior to the appointment and said he wanted to try "behavior modification" first.
He felt that putting her on "happy pills" while her tail healed would cure her "compulsive desire to chew".
OK.
(But I'm thinking while he's telling me this that this doesn't solve the long term issue of the fact that she keeps whipping her tail into walls and doors and splitting the tail open again.)
I can't force the Vet to do my bidding. So we'll try it his way for now. I did suggest antibiotics which he agreed to since I've read that a tail infection that runs up the spine will kill a dog within a few days.
So along with happy pills I also had to "try" to protect the tip from Ginny and the world to allow it to heal. I'd already switched from the PVC pipe (too heavy) to that foam pipe insulation which has worked perfectly.
The problem was the tape. I tried every tape I could get my hands on even bringing home some of what we use at work. Nothing stuck for more than a day.
SM suggested Duck Tape which at first sounded cruel. But I applied it lightly and it sticks to the hair of her tail incredibly well. I covered it with a sock to discourage licking.
Stick a cone on her head when SM and I are gone and "Viola"...Success!
It's taken about two weeks to get it to scab over. I'm thinking we may have another month or two before it's healed but I still say she's going to need protection on the tip for the rest of her life.
What a drag!
Yesterday afternoon was in the 70's so I went out and wandered the back yard while the beasties ran around.
Even Callie showed up for the fun.
She has a new nickname now. "Squeak." She makes the funniest little squeaky noises when she greets us.
Here's a few more snaps from the day. I'm wanting to "update" the look of the blog for 2014 and realized most of the critter pictures are a few years old.
My Sweet Ginny Girl is turning nine this coming year.
Looking at these pictures, she's more like "My Grey Lady" now. It won't be long before she's completely blind.
Scooter Boo will be eleven soon.
He still gets around fine but we think he's going deaf. Either that or he just doesn't want to pay attention to us anymore.
Casey Pig will be five.
She's such a sweetheart.
My Piglet of Love.
A friend of mine had a poodle mix mutt they adopted and she was always busting up her tail & making it bleed, whacking it on the wall corners & such. I think that maybe some breeds are better off withOUT a tail. I think it's strange that the vet wouldn't dock her tail, I would think it would be the most humane thing to do instead of having it to constantly bleed, having duct tape & socks put on it or be put on meds. I'd push the issue with him/her.
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