My dog's tail suddenly won't wag. Why is it just hanging limp?

Hello. It's hard to know without seeing the dog but he might have a sprained tail, or "swimmer's tail." This is a common condition in large breed dogs like labs who overexert themselves by running for hours, hunting, or swimming. They overuse the tail and it becomes very swollen at the base, extending 2-5 inches toward the tip. These dogs won't wag or use their tails and are very painful when you touch this area. It usually resolves on its own but I like to prescribe anti-inflammatory pain medication because these dogs are usually really painful. If it isn't much better now, I'd take him to your veterinarian for pain meds!

This could indicate a fracture of her tail or dislocation as the tail has joints just like the rest of the body. It could also indicate an anal gland issue or even a problem with the lumbosacral joint. Do not give your dog in a human medication as it could be toxic to dogs. I recommend having your dog seen by her veterinarian or an emergency veterinarian as she may need x-rays to diagnose the problem as well as dog safe medication for pain. keep her quiet and restrict her activity until she can be seen by veterinarian and do not try to manipulate the site at all.

I recommend to take Mia in to see her veterinarian and have her tail checked as well as her anal glands. Sometimes when pets have anal gland issues they will keep the tail down instead of caring it in the normal position. Small breed dogs can especially have this problem. Pets can also exhaust the muscles of the tail and this can cause them to not wag it as well. The doctor will thoroughly examine the area and hopefully determine the cause. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Very gently feel every bone in the spine starting at the neck towards the tail. Include the tail. Your dog may have injured its spine or tail. If there is a pain in the spinal cord (he may react at the area where he is in pain) then you should take him to the vet for an exam and treatment right away. If you cannot find a spot where it hurts, you may want to observe your dog and see whether it gets better and take him to the vet if does not improve or gets worse. Your vet will examine the spinal cord, do an x-ray to make sure there is no fracture or slipped disc, and give your dog a general exam in case the source of the pain is somewhere else (abdomen, muscles).

She may have Limber tail syndrome which is basically a sprained tail. The condition can be painful so she may need an anti-inflammatory and pain medications. Have your vet examine her to determine if treatment is needed.

I see what you mean about Ruby's tail, thank you for providing pictures of it! She could have injured it while you were at work, and I would take her into the vet to have it examined and x-rays. If she did injury, it's possible that the tail could be broken. She also could have done damage to the nerves leading to it. The vet can determine what is causing her to be unable to lift her tail, and can treat her for it.

Sounds like Flynn may have injured his tail and has what we refer to as limber tail. He should improve with time. In cases that are painful, we prescribe anti-inflammatories. In the event he fails to improve in 3 days, follow up with your veterinarian.