Limp Tail
Hi...I have
a 6 month old beagle who just recently started hanging her tail between
her legs. At first we thought it might be broken but she can still wag it
and move it. It just looks very limp when she use to carry it straight up
most of the time. She also used to wag her whole tail and now she just
wags the tip. Could it possibly be broken near the base of the tail. How
would we be able to tell if it was or not?
Tail dipping can be caused by damage to the nerves, skeleton or muscles of the tail, or psychological intentional actions of the dog. A thorough examination of the tail can determine the vitality of the nerves and the condition of the muscles and bones. You may want to check to see if she has any sore spots along her tail by gently squeezing each segment from base to tip. You should also has a touch sensation and good motion from base to tip. If the tail has lost nerve control, she can still wag it if the base nerves are still intact.
A beagle's tail is quite expressive, for they use it as a mood and attitude signal. You may want to try various stimulating situations, such as playing fetch with a ball, to see if the tail wakes up. If you find deficits, your veterinarian can help with fine tuning the diagnosis and treatment.
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