Otto has been to the Vets...

kirstyhen

kirstyhen

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And he is now on Antibiotics and a nasty tasting anticeptic spray for his tai. He is going back for a check up in a week.

He came out of the woods last night with his sides covered in blood and it was dripping off the end of his tail
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Then every knock today has had it pouring with blood today
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I have been washing it in Hibiscrub and coating it in Sudocrem, but it just hasn't made a difference.

I am going to try strapping it, and also ALoe Vera juice in his dinner (as suggested by SlinkyUnicorn) as I have heard so many horror stories of amuptation
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Looks like he will never work though, as his tail is being ripped open by fairly sparse cover.

He will be the last undocked Spaniel I buy! (He's worth it though
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Oh bugger
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sorry to hear this.
Have you tried the old taping a bit of hosepipe over it trick? Maybe that has already been suggested.

I know what it's like when you're tearing your hair out over a poor dog that doesn't know that it's his own actions that are hurting him - so frustrating.
 
Poor Otto!!
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Hope he is mended soon!!
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It has been a bad week for the HHO spaniels
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- they have all been to visit the dog doctors in the last week. Sweep has been booked in for his op - I've got a week to worry about it!!
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Still they will all be mended and driving us mad again soon!!

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Aaw poor Otto, lots of tail healing vibes. When Buffy's tail wouldn't heal after having a lump removed I used Manuka Honey. Put it in her water and also smeared it on the wound, but if his tail is infected not too sure about putting on the wound but definitely would try in the water.
 
Sweep will be ok - our old lab used to get lumpy too and made it to a ripe old age
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Loads of people at work have sickly dogs at the moment, don't know what's going on! People are off all over the place nursing invalids!
 
Poor Otto, best healing vibes but knowing a spaniel tail...

What a shame that you will not work him.

Best vibes for him.
 
This is the mess that we were faced with last night...
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So this is what we have tried tonight.....
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The bit at the end is feathering, the actual tail tip is covered, instructions for anyone who is interested are here NOBs (I'm not sure if you need to be a member though!)

Unfortunately it lastest for the first half of the walk, and it is the second half of the walk where he damages it, so yet again we were faced with a dog covered in blood
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We will perserve with it though, the tape we used tonight wasn't hugely sticky.
Will also try hosepipe (Thanks HackingHack!), Pipe lagging and any other forms of protection anyone can think of!!

The nasty spray isn't working either, he seems to like the taste
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Bloomin' animal!!
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I really don't see any other option ATM but to have it amputated, but we will keep trying, any other suggestions are greatly appreciated!
 
Buggar - what a nuisance
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I am afraid that once they split its an awful job to get them to heal. Maybe it would be best to get it docked now to save you all this heartache (and Otto's!) in the future. It would be a terrible shame if you never got to work him.
 
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Use vetwrap to finish it of - should stick well but you would need a layer of something underneath - and think of the range of colours Otto could try out.......
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The only problem I have been told you can have with Vetwrap is that when it gets wet it gets tighter.

Going to raid Tesco's strapping aisle tomorrow I think!
 
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Buggar - what a nuisance
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I am afraid that once they split its an awful job to get them to heal. Maybe it would be best to get it docked now to save you all this heartache (and Otto's!) in the future. It would be a terrible shame if you never got to work him.

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I am starting to think that way too TBH, the only problem is the Vets and convincing them! Mine has been good so far though, so I'm hoping she comes to that conclusion quickly!
I just like the suggestion to a) keep him out of cover, impossible without keeping him on a lead for the rest of his life!!), b) stopping him wagging his tail!! LOL!
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My friend pads the tail and then covers it with electrical tape for her spaniel - its waterproof and doesn't shrink. Mind you it doesn't always stay on either!
 
Seriously.....you clearly discounted it as a madcap idea in your other thread as you never acknowledged our experience of "wag-tail".....but taping the top of a pop bottle around his tail to form a "cone" will really help him.

He will not be able to hit damaged part of the tail again as wagging or walking will result in the plastic "cone" contacting and not his tail. This will allow it to heal up nicely.

My dog is living proof that it worked and the vet was so impressed he suggested it for other spaniels suffering the same problem.

Once Jasper's healed, although he did have a couple of inches removed too, it never happened again....not once in the last 12 years. I would try to get it to heal now though as the wound post amputation is worse than a small split he will have in it now and you'll still have the same problem of him wagging it and bashing it.

Just cut the top off the 500ml Coke bottles, wrap some gauze around his tail to pad it out and duck tape it to his tail, wrapping some of the feather of his hair in the duck tape layers to help secure it.
 
Sorry! I did see it, I just forgot to reply!

My Mum had also suggested it today!
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Not looking forward to being cracked across the calves with it though, he's normal tail is bad enough, the strapping gives it an even better whack!
 
Strangely it hurts less than their whip of a tail!

If I was going to have anything removed from it, I'd just have a couple of inches taken off to take the tail up to where it's slightly thicker.

I think it would too painful to remove it to true docking length. Jasper goes in thick cover here on the farm and his has never re-split once. The key is getting the actual wound to fully heal I think, passed the scab coming off stage. Once it has, it's possible he won't do it again.

I can still remember the blood splatters up the walls, radiators, kitchen units etc from him wagging his bleeding tail and banging on things.

Not overly bright are they? You'd think it'd hurt them enough to watch where they wagged it!

Most people don't know Jasper has had an op on his tail. Even I forget, until I see a Cocker who hasn't had surgery and am always amazed at how long their tails are!
 
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