What Is Limp Tail?
Limp tail refers to an injury affecting a dogs tail as a result of strenuous exercise. Technically, this medical condition is called acute caudal myopathy. It occurs after rigorous activity in which transient damage occurs to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons at the base of the tail. Occasionally, minor damage to the vertebrae may occur. Limp tail is a painful condition, so an affected dog will be unable to raise its tail or wag.
Get to Know Your Dog’s Tail
It is important to familiarize yourself with the anatomy of your dog’s tail, so you can take care of it in the most efficient manner possible. After all, tails are pretty foreign appendages to most humans.
Contrary to many dog owners’ assumption, dogs do have bones in their tails. In fact, the bones in your dog’s tail represent the terminal end of the spinal column. The number of bones in a given dog’s tail varies, but most have between 5 and 23 separate vertebrae.
The skin and fur coating the outside of the tail are essentially identical to that covering the rest of your dog’s body. Just beneath the skin, you’d find blood vessels, connective tissue and a series of tail muscles. Some of the muscles at the base of your dog’s tail are also involved in controlling their bowels and bladders, so severe tail injuries can occasionally lead to incontinence.
A collection of tendons and ligaments connect muscles to other muscles and the caudal vertebrae (tail bones) which form the core of the tail. These muscles provide precision control over the tail, thereby allowing it to serve as a remarkably effective communication device.
What is limber tail syndrome?
Limber tail is a condition in dogs that makes their tail appear as if it is broken. It is often called “swimmer’s tail” because many affected dogs had gone swimming before their tail became limp.
Other names for limber tail include cold water tail, broken wag, broken tail, limp tail, or the official name “Acute Caudal Myopathy.”