Newbie, Cold Tail Syndrome

by zeo Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:06 pm

Me and my wife (Patsy) and our dog Zoie (Yellow Lab) went to the Great Pet Expo in NJ this past weekend to our first dock diving competition and had a great time! So many people helped us to work on getting our dog into the pool for the first time and almost getting her to jump off the dock. We can't wait to come back and give it a try again.

Unfortunetly it seems that she has Cold Tail Syndrome. I took her to the vet and got an anit-inflamatory that seems too have an impact even 24 hours later (Sunday). What I was wondering is if I should bring her to the next competition on Saturday in PA. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions. I really just want to get her comfortable with going in and out of the pool. Let me know. Thanks for any help in advance. Here's a question fo

Special thanks to: Alysia, Scott, Milt, and Brian for all your help on Saturday. Ultimate Air Elation

by Laszlo's Botond Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:31 pm

if your dog is prone to cold tail and is new to the sport i would wait for warmer weather and water, you dont want her to associate a negative expierence with dock diving

by Gingers Dad Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:59 am

Ginger had cold tail right after her first event last year it was a cold water indoor event also. About the second - third day after the event she was back to normal but i felt so bad for her.But knock on wood she has not got it sence huh?

I know thats not very helpful .

by labpaw Mon Feb 09, 2009 12:46 pm

It was so great to see you there! Snickering

Some dogs are very prone to it, and others may only get an occasional bout here and there. Some people have advocated using fish oil to cut down the liklihood of it occuring again, but I think you will find an individual response with that. huh?

I am sure you did this, but really making sure that they are dried off as much as possible, especially around the tail area, helps too. Our dog, Abraham, gets cold tail too, although he doesn't seem particularly painful from it (again, an individual response... some are painful, others aren't). I give him some anti-inflammatories the day before and each day he competes (it does seem to help, but he also doesn't get it every time he competes either). He has had cold tail when it wasn't cold (and it was outside and 70), so I can't say for sure that waiting will solve the issue. Judges

It is a poorly understood ailment, so not a lot of definitives for treatment and prevention either. No way, Man!

I hope she is doing better! I'm really glad you came out to give it a try. Indoor events are tough to start with, and I am SURE that when an outdoor event comes arounfd, you will see great things from your girl Zoie. A Round of Applause!

by zeo Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:28 pm

Alisa,

Thanks for the note. I really appreciate the well wishes. I do have two followup questions based on your response.

1. What do you do with fish oil? I have read that in a few places, but I have no idea what that means?

2. What anti-inflammatories do you give to Abraham before, during and after the competition? Is it a prescribed anti-inflammatory or "human" anti-inflammatory

As a quick clarification for those who might read this thred. I would consider myself more to blame for my dogs Cold Tail Sydrome than natural issues. I did not dry her off enough in between getting wet and didn't do enough to keep her warm throughout the day at the NJ Pet Expo. A newbie mistake.

Thanks
Brian

by montanasprincess Tue Feb 10, 2009 4:39 pm

We have had cold tail before as well. We have heard advice on giving fish oil or salmon oil at least 2 weeks prior to an event and have started this. Also- drying the dog off really well in between events is supposed to help. One other thing is keep them warm if the weather is cold and the cold water, use a dog coat or blanket and don't crate right after jumping. keep them out and moving around a bit before crating. Fish oil/salmon oil can be bought at grocery stores/health food stores in the pill form or check out the link on my signature below they have salmon oil that is in liquid form that you put on the dog's food if that is easier than giving a pill.

by labpaw Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:12 pm

zeo wrote:Alisa,

Thanks for the note. I really appreciate the well wishes. I do have two followup questions based on your response.

1. What do you do with fish oil? I have read that in a few places, but I have no idea what that means?

We give the fish oils on their food. Na Na

I use Derm Caps ES, but there are plenty of other products out there to chose from. Not only is it good for cold tail, but it keeps their skin less dry and helps the joints too! A Round of Applause!

zeo wrote:2. What anti-inflammatories do you give to Abraham before, during and after the competition? Is it a prescribed anti-inflammatory or "human" anti-inflammatory

We use prescription stuff (I know a good vet Just kidding!

). Dogs don't deal well with Tylenol, Aleve, and/or Advil (it can actually cause stomach ulcers or organ dysfunction Queasy

). Occasionally, I would recommend enteric coated aspirin to some of my patients, but I would ask your vet about doing that. Hot Dawg

How is she doing? running dog

by Jumpin' Duracell Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:42 pm

Wow... I dint' know that there was an actual name for this... I just thought that Copper sprained his tail... it has happend a couple of time to him... once in Macomb jumping... the first jump in a while and very cold weather... and then the previous time was just ruff housing with some of his doggie buddies. I just let him rest and tried to keep him comfortable... but we have started using the salmon oil... hopefully it will help to prevent it in the future... he is just not the same dog with out his tail held high in the air! Sweet!

Good Luck!

by Laszlo's Botond Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:48 pm

Allysa is this a vet you would recommend What a Face

If it is the one I am thinking of she gavr vreat advice for a red devil that had a split nail.....Although he hasnt gotten to give you his red thankyou hug yet.

by zeo Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:45 pm

My pup, Zoie is doing just fine. Her tail is smacking into everything once again. In fact she just knocked over a Dr. Pepper on the coffee table!

Thank you all for the advise. It has been very helpful. I think all these tips could result in not having to deal with the "Cold Tail" anymore. We will use all these tips for a trip to PA this weekend. We just want to get her more comfortable being around the pool and dock.

Thanks again.
Brian

by labpaw Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:01 am

Laszlo's Botond wrote:Allysa is this a vet you would recommend If it is the one I am thinking of she gavr vreat advice for a red devil that had a split nail.....Although he hasnt gotten to give you his red thankyou hug yet.

That vet can't wait to get that red dog thank you hug!!! Just kidding!

by crazyjackpack Wed Feb 11, 2009 10:45 am

I have to add.. To some nubby butt owners. (docked tails) We have had dogs get cold tail who was a nubby butt. Both Cpt. Jack and Jitter Bug have gotten cold tail.. One got it in the warm weather the other in cooler weather. We have one dog with a full tail and so far she's been fine.

by jedivet Wed Feb 11, 2009 12:31 pm

I've also seen cold tail/summer tail/dead tail (whatever you want to call it) in dogs that have merely worked or played hard, with no water around. In fact, I saw it just a few weeks ago in a Lab who'd been out ice fishing all day with his owner but was warm in the hut and another who'd just had a play date.

by **Petcrazy213** Wed Feb 11, 2009 3:35 pm

Would someone mind explaining exactly what Cold Tail is? I'm guessing by the sound of things it's when the dog doesn't want to hold their tail up or wag? Would just like to know for the future in case on of the kids gets it. Also, is it simply muscular? It's not a bacteria or virus, right?

by zeo Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:52 pm

Jenny,

I just learned about this past week after my dog (Zoie, yellow lab) was crying about 7 hours after getting home from the Edison NJ event. She never jumped off the dock since she is new to the sport. She only ran in and out of the water. But we did it all day without drying her enough or keeping her warm. Her tail was just hanging down and she didn't like it being touched. She also did not want to sit. Laying down seemed o.k. My knowledge has only come from the web. I put a link below that I thought explained it very well. Hope that helps. Let me know if there is anything else I can do to help.

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/coldtail.html

Brian

by **Petcrazy213** Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:48 pm

Thank for the info! Ultimate Air Elation

by crazyjackpack Fri Feb 13, 2009 5:09 pm

Jenny

I have only ever seen one nubby butt with cold tail. That would be Jitter.. he is strange anyway.

by JT Fri Feb 13, 2009 5:30 pm

mikey gets cold tail from time to time summer and winter hes just so dedicated he dont seem to mind but i give him an asprin for a day or 2 and hes fine

by flyinlab Mon Feb 16, 2009 1:36 am

I was at the PA event this weekend. I believe that Sophie is suffering from this cold tail syndrom. She is whining a lot and I can only think dof one thing. Her tail is close to her body, like the link that was posted here. I gave her aspirin. What else can I do? How does it usually last? From what i read, it is on individual basis. I am just wondering what to expect. think

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