Cold Water Tail

[Roscoe]

My 2yo ym has had cold water tail twice now. Once last year, near the end of the season, and the other last week. On the first ocassion it was colder and he was in the water alot. This last case was less severe. He was in the water quite a bit, but not sitting in the water. He did sit in the bottom of the aluminum boat for awhile though and there was a little water there. With that being said, I did not think the temperature would be an issue. He was fine after a couple of days, but I am concerned about down time and was wondering if anyone had any treatment or prevention tips. We're in southcentral so temps were not extreme and he was wearing a neoprene vest. He is healthy and very fit.

Any info would be appreciated,
Kelly

 

[JOAT]

Google it

Google it

I've never dealt with this condition, but there appears to be lots of info out there about it. Just scanning over several published articles, it appears that this condition has less to do with cold water exposure and more to do with over working of the muscles at the base of the tail. It appears that preventative measures include proper athletic conditioning of the dog pre-season and avoid overworking during the hunt. Treatment is lots of rest, avoid all handling of the affected tail, and consider warm packs and anti-inflammatory medications within 24 hours of onset. Important- see your vet for specific drug treatment, if you feel such treatment is warranted. Providing over-the-counter human anti-inflammatory drugs can easily be fatal to the dog. Here are a couple articles to get started...
http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/limbertail.html
http://www.working-retriever.com/library/cwtail.html

 

[Wetland Retrievers]

Cold Tail

Cold Tail

I agree with JOAT. Great info and explanation.
Some dogs use there tail more than others when swimming. Some simply use it as a rudder. Other dogs ( it seems ) try and propel themselves with it. It is simply an overexersion of that muscle.
The same as how my hamstrings feel after pulling my feet out of the marsh mud all day long.

 

[Big Al]

I would look at my feeding program, I start by feeding heavy just two weeks are hunting season. I feed beef suet, bacon and hamburger grease over dry dog food throughout the season. They burn right through the fat.

Another prime feed with a pressure cooker is chicken back and necks. I pressure cook these down until all the bone are pulp. Feed over dry dog food.

Dog food is a whole nother subject, some of the things we need to know is the source of the protein. Be careful here as a lot of it comes indigestible hair and or soy.

 

[Roscoe]

Thanks for the info. It looks like he'll be ready for this weeks shoot.