Damaged tail?

Ginn

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Not entirely sure what she's done, but a few days ago heard a thud, saw mare down in field and she appeared to be rolling, next second she's on her feet, shoots across to other side of field, then stands stock still and refuses point blank to move. Whether she slipped and fell and then rolled over to correct herself, or whether she simply rolled and made more noise than normal I don't know, but the "roll" seems to be the significant factor that triggered all this.

Long story short, got her in - legs all ok and perfectly sound, but clearly very unhappy/in pain over bum area, especially around top of dock, and really clamping tail down, tucking bum right down and under.

She was quite distressed, pawing floor constantly in stable and not remotely interested in food. Phoned vet who said to watch her for a bit and then update, which we did. She seemed to settle and so as sound vet suspected she'd pulled muscle and to see how she went. Even longer story short, had t get vet up that evening as she had colic. We weren't (and still aren't) sure whether she's actually given herself mild colic that morning and it had been brewing all day, or whether the colic was the result of her being in discomfort. Again, vets advice was to watch her, give bute for a few days and give her a complete 10 days off as still suspected it was a pulled muscle (and therefore more likely colic was a secondary problem as a result of the first).

Its now 2 days on and she is back to her normal self, happy and bright, BUT is still not right around her back end. She'll let me pick her tail up and carefully lift it and move it sideways (before this was too much and she just clamped it down) but she is not moving it at all herself, to the point that she is pooing and weeing all over it as she is not even attempting to lift it at all when she goes to do these things. This is very unlike her as normally she holds it well clear.

I can't feel any lumps or bumps on the tail and she is happy for me to handle it all over so don't think she has broken anything in the tail itself but I am now wondering if she's done something higher up? It has crossed my mind thats she's broken or dislocated it somewhere but to be honest I'd expect a greater pain response if this was the case? I had also wondered if she's infact caused some nerve damage although this I suspect is extremely unlikely? Or she's just pulled a muscle really badly and it hurts to lift it? The tail is warm (so good blood flow still), hanging straight, not being held to one side, and below the dock is floppy and flexible (as per normal). She is also completely level and sound.

I'll see how she is tomorrow and touch base with my vet again but I basically wondered if anyone had experienced anything similar and if so if you could share your experiences with me.

Many thanks
 
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millimoo

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Personally I'd be sacking off your vet and finding another decent horse vet.
I'm not one for getting the vet out at the drop of a hat, but you are a few days in, with a horse in discomfort.
Don't want to sound rude, but I'd err on the side of caution, and have someone see your horse.
Hope all is ok...
 

Ginn

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Thankyou. Perhaps I didn't make it clear though in my first post. My vet (who is an equine vet and a very, very good one with a super rep!) has seen my horse and she is receiving treatment for any pain she may be in. Yes, she clearly has some discomfort but actually I don't believe that being pain free is always a good thing as it masks it from the horse leaving them more suseptible to further injury; pain is response to injury for a reason. We are however keeping her comfortable, as is clear by a massively improved character - she is back to her usual bright, happy self (which if she was significantly uncomfortable, as she was on Monday, she certainly wouldn't be). If its muscular then I have been advised it will be around 48 hours before she starts to show improvement. If its not then again 48-72 hours will show no improvement or worsening. I trust my vet implicitly and will be touching base again tomorrow to discuss how my mare is and what the next step is.

What I was looking for is other peoples experiences with such problems as it doesn't seem to be a common injury, certainly not one I have had prior experience of, so I am looking to see how other's have managed it and what problems or things may have helped them. I was not questioning her treatment or the advice I have been given and I apologise if that was how it came across.
 

Beausmate

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Never heard anything like this in a horse. My old dog had a similar result from a fall though. She was belting along with my other dog who was bigger and faster than her, he ran over her, clipped her somehow and she basically did a forward roll and bent her tail back underneath her.

Reluctant to lift it but no pain on touching it, she squeaked when she had to lift it and wagging was out of the question! We put it down to a bad sprain and she was back to her happy, waggy self within a few weeks.

Maybe your horse slipped onto her bottom with her tail out behind her and bent it the wrong way? There are ligaments in the tail too so she may have given one of them a good pull. Sounds painful though! Good luck with her. :)
 

hopscotch bandit

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Did you ever figure this out? The same thing has just happened to my 4 year old after a raucous day of running around.
I'd imagine they have either lost their tail tone due to compression in the vetebrae following a fall in the field or that the tail is fractured.
Wouldn't have thought it could be anything else by the description. Realise it's an old post though.
 

AandK

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I have been going through similar with my 6yo TB. He somehow sustained tail damage after an op under GA, and also had a bad impaction as a result so had to go back into the vets for 4 days, after being home for less than 2 after the op. That was 8 weeks ago and his tail is slowly coming back to life, he can slightly lift it and swish it now, where as at first he could not move it at all. All I know is it is nerve damage, and that it will take time to come back.
 
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