Effects of docking a tail (for veterinary reasons)

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lovepoppy

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My 22yo grey mare has tumours on the bottom of her tail and at the rate they are growing/ulcerating the vet said many people decide to PTS at some point when they get too out of hand.
I asked about docking her tail above the tumours instead as she is perfectly fit and healthy otherwise, no other obvious tumours anywehere else - the vet said this could potentially be an option.
(This is not certain yet!! I'm just exploring all options before I can even start to decide anything)

So, how would not having a tail affect her?
She'd obviously be covered at all times, especially during fly season.
Someone told me I wouldn't be able to ride her again afterwards because they use their tail for balance? Is this true or a load of rubbish?
Anything else I would need to consider for a pony with a docked tail?


Any other advice/points welcome.
Thank you xxx
 
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My 15 year old horse lost his tail due to an accident at five years old, he only has two vertebrae left. It apears not to have affected him other than of course not being able to protect himself from flies (he wears a fly rug all summer and we use spray all over). Horses cope: it's what they do :-)
 
He looks lush! That's really good it hasn't seemed to affect him (except flies), gives me hope that Poppy will continue to have a good quality of life afterwards 😌 I've had a few comments from people saying it might not be fair on her to put her through such a big thing so I've been double-guessing myself. Thank you for replying :)
 
I would not worry at all about her life after the procedure.
I would wanting to know how painful and difficult the procedure and recovery is likely to be for her that's all .
 
It sounds like a good option ( they amputate the penis and divert the urine flow out under the tail for the same problem). But I am wondering why your vet didn't suggest it and went straight for the PTS option.

Does your mare have any other issues? Is she showing her age? Is it possible that your vet is trying to tell you that he thinks it's time to call it a day?

I am sorry if this upsets you, but I feel it needs asking :(
 
I'm not sure the reason why the vet didn't suggest it to start with - to me it seemed like not many people ask about that option so it wasn't really in his mind. I'm not sure how common this would be. Once we suggested it he thought it was a potential option.
Her only other health problem has been getting 2 teeth removed (they were wobbly and just needed taking out) but in herself she seems happy and is still seems as normal.

But the vet may be thinking along the lines that she's quite old and it may not be fair. I'll have to ask for his honest opinion about all of this and what the operation entails (no pun intended).
Thanks x
 
It might be a bigger operation than you think, and your horse is at an age where a GA might not be wise, I think you need to have a full and frank discussion with your vet about the procedure and recovery.
I speak as someone who was quite keen to lop my pony's willy off a few years ago but with a very reluctant vet who said he really didn't want to be putting him through that at his age (thankfully for us the alternative worked).
I think you also need to discuss whether the vet thinks it is likely that she also has internal melanomas that might be life limiting too.
 
Putting it bluntly, just because there are no obvious tumours it's also very highly unlikely that there aren't and she is in fact riddled with them particularly as this wasn't from an injury but stems from her system. What you can see on the surface is only half the picture I'm afraid and I'd be very wary of putting her through a procedure like that which is quite possible to set others off too, a chain reaction. I know my vet would be very unhappy to be asked to operate on one this old and would do all he could to persuade the owner not to as he wouldn't see a good outcome but then he is mainly a surgeon so sees more of the insides of a horse than a normal vet would who is usually dealing with more topical care if that makes sense.
 
I wouldn't put a horse of that age through an op like that - I know she's your horse but to me it wouldn't be worth it in the interest of the horse. Like GS I would also be asking how painful the recovery would be and what the prognosis would be afterwards. Imaging going through the expense and emotional turmoil of it all and then three months later finding more tumours. I don't think it's fair to the horse.
 
I think my point a bit more succinctly would be that vet says yes it's possible but possible doesn't mean it is the best thing to do. I've never known a vet suggest PTS lightly so I think you need to have a really good chat with them.
 
Don't know anything about tail docking but My now 22yr old had an op at 19 and the vet told me age wasn't a big risk factor in anaesthesia for an otherwise healthy horse. Yes melanomas might be and probably are elsewhere and that could make surgery more risky rather than age itself.

At 22 my gelding is certainly just a lively and worthy of being given a chance if appropriate and your mare sounds much the same so I'd listen to your vets advice and your knowledge of how your mare would cope and whether she otherwise is fit and healthy.
 
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