Your thoughts on tail amputation..

Submitted by Simone and Hanna on March 18, 2012 - 6:51pm

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Hanna got her first nasty tail pocket infection and after picking her up from the vet yesterday we've been set up with an appointment for Wednesday to see a surgeon that has experience. I'm a littl weary of the surgery for obvious reasons but Rick has given me tons of information and I can't argue with the fact that it will make my little smush nose feel better.

Has anyone else had experience with the surgery?

Only as a last resort IMO

Submitted by Deb and MacKenz... on March 18, 2012 - 9:49pm.

Just because you have an infection doesn't mean the tail needs amputated. Kolh got an infection because I didn't dry well enough under his tail after a bath. Took a week to clear up and some antibiotics. But he has no tail pocket, is not bothered by his tail, infact I rarely have to clean under it. But it is a little tight and the tip kind of kinks back so it is a little difficult getting underneath itwith a baby wipe.

If it can be maintained then I would never have surgery.

If it is very tight, with a tail pocket that is very deep and you can't clean it and it is causing pain and is effecting the quality of life then that is different.

Her tail is.. (graphic picture)

Submitted by Simone and Hanna on March 19, 2012 - 12:35am.

Buried deep in there. It's like her body has just been growing around it the last 7 months. I have to use a q-tip to get in there because if I use my finger it hurts her and this is without the infection. It's a little more than an inch deep. I may just be afraid of being too rough with her but there's no lifting the tail to get under it in the pocket.

Before.. (a little less than a week ago)

After.. (it just breaks my heart to even see it. Thankfully, it looks much better since yesterday--when this picture was taken)

I don't know if you can tell from the pictures but no part of her tail sticks out beyond her body. The top left area that doesnt look as gunky is the only part that doesn't sink in.

Just to be clear - Serious Surgery, last option - GRAPHIC PIC

Submitted by RARett on March 19, 2012 - 8:10am.

Simone and I have spoken via private messages - and I warned her that surgery is extreme, and 'worse case scenio' -

as my Vet described Gizmo's "Inverted Corkscrew Tail' that was actually growing IN more than alongside or out - I'm not sure if this is Hanna's issue or not - Also Gizmo we could go up to almost the 3rd knuckle of a finger (Atleast 2 inches deep).into her tail pocket.

I also dropped her the name of my Vet which would be about 2 - 2.5 hours from her for a second opinion.

I'm not in favor of such surgeries, unless its absolutely needed - Gizmo's case, it was absolutely needed - and she has been totally different baby since, by not having such a sore bum.- We tried baby wipes everytime she came in, we tried destine (Baby rash stuff) antibiotics (numberous rounds) trying to keep it dry - we just could not succeed in keeping it dry enough to prevent infection. It was to the point, that Gizmo wouldnt even let us near her rear (not even for butt scrunchies!)

As with any surgery - get multiple opinions (if Possible) I also included the 'post op' pictures of Gizmo, so that she knew what to expect.

I also hear during a Bully get together last year one owner said 'Tail amuptation, yea, we are familar with it, Buster had it down TWICE' (Obviously the 1st surgeon botched it, by not taking 'enough' ? who knows)

Post surgery - - -

1 Year Post Surgery. . .

I am here to answer any questions that I can about our experience with the surgery/procedure.

Rick

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Last steps taken May 26, 2014 -- Been rolling along ever since . . . .

Inverted

Submitted by Deb and MacKenz... on March 19, 2012 - 10:54am.

Her tail is inverted then and in this case I would most definitely have the surgery. It is a quality of life situation. Best of luck, it is not an easy surgery and depending on the spine it can be tricky but she will be so much happier afterwards. I have yet to have a bulldog with such a bad tail. Just one more thing to look for when buying puppy.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Yes, the 1st thing I'm gonna do it check 'the end'

Submitted by RARett on March 19, 2012 - 11:00am.

When (ya notice its not longer 'IF') we find a puppy, the 1st thing I'm gonna do it spin it around and look at its butt ! ! ! ! ! ! if it aint a little stubby shooting out. :P Yea I got Tail Envie :)

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Last steps taken May 26, 2014 -- Been rolling along ever since . . . .

The poor thing..

Submitted by Simone and Hanna on March 19, 2012 - 1:52pm.

When she came home it was this little stub of a thing that stuck out just a little bit but didn't have any pocket. It was just tight to. Her body.. Now it's a whole other story.

It looks MUCH better not with the topical/oral antibiotics the vet gave us but I feel terrible that the poor thing is so uncomfortable.

I'll let you all know how the appointment on Wednesday goes and if I decide to take a trip up to Rick's vet.

if ya head north . . . .lemme know

Submitted by RARett on March 19, 2012 - 1:58pm.

Cause I can *cough* *cough* be sick that day to meet little Hanna :)

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Last steps taken May 26, 2014 -- Been rolling along ever since . . . .

Will do!

Submitted by Simone and Hanna on March 19, 2012 - 2:50pm.

LOL =)

ooooh poor thing...oh sweetie

Submitted by Pegsy on March 19, 2012 - 11:07am.

ooooh poor thing...oh sweetie i hope it gets better soon...hugs

pls keep us posted

smoochies the scrunchy face

Both of mine have been amputated

Submitted by Courtney77 on March 20, 2012 - 8:41am.

Both my bully's had numerous tail pocket infections. Both had small, tight, screw tails. The pockets would get infected no matter how well I cleaned and dried them. My male ended up with a huge open ulcer and we finally called it quits and had them amputated. Both of them came out perfect. We have had no issues with the tail area since. They healed quite well and you can't even tell ( besides there is no tail =)

Both of mine have been amputated

Submitted by Courtney77 on March 20, 2012 - 8:41am.

we have had this issue cured without surgery

Submitted by mrhig2004 on March 19, 2012 - 3:59pm.

Mr. Higgins has a small tight inverted tail. From the outside it appears there is no tail at all. As a small pup it just looked like a short tail that did stick out from his body. With growth, his body also just grew around it.

A few years ago it bothered him tremendously. It was infected and I was valiantly trying everything and anything to heal it up and give him relief. It just got worse. My vet sent him to a dermatologist who prescribed burrows solution with hydrocortisone in it. He has never since had any tail issue. I just bath him once every 2 weeks, soap it up and rinse with the hand held shower spray.

After the bath the secret is to make sure it is completely dry. I put dry facecloths in there repeatedly until they come out dry. He no longer has an issue with me putting my fingers in there, although it is very tight.

I love that burrows solution. He is getting it now for his closed ear canal along with a steroid in it. He is also on atopica. The canal is beginning to slowly open.

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