Puppy's tail injured by door, now limp and painful. What should I do?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your about Lily. The only way to tell if her tail is broken is to have her seen by a vet for x-rays. If it is broken, yes the vet can treat it. It will also be painful to her, and the vet can prescribe pain medication. Please do not give her any human pain medications as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. I'd take her into a vet now. I hope this helps!

Hello. My first inclination is that Ryder somehow injured the tail. This is typical of a tail being shut in a door or stepped on. True limber tail usually involves the entire tail & generally resolves in a few days or a week. I recommend having the tail evaluated to make sure there are no injuries, especially a fracture. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I don't see any swelling, which is good, the fact that she wags the tail normally is also a very good sign. there is probably no serious damage, at this point there is no reason to take her to the vet but i would recommend monitoring pain, the wagging (it's important that no part of the tail is dropped while wagged) and the swelling (this can start 24 hours after the damage. if you see any of those change please take her to the vet to get it checked.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I know you feel bad! We see this happen a lot, puppies and kittens are very squirmy! I would say that 98% of the time the puppies are fine. If she is walking well and not limping, is playing and eating I think she falls in to the category! She still may be a bit sore and that is why her tail isn't wagging. I would watch her closely and I bet she will be 100% very soon! I hope this helps and good luck!

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bear. He could have sustained an injury to his tail and it may be painful. If he has had recent trouble defecating, this can also cause the dog to hold his tail differently. Finally, he may have a problem with his anal glands that is causing him pain. If this posture persists, he should see his veterinarian. In the meantime, do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be painful to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Ziggy! Tails that get stuck in the door are at risk for degloving injuries and are very tough to have heal due to the mobility of the tail and the dog wanting to lick and chew it. Sadly a lot of times these injuries result in an amputation of part of the tail. I would have Ziggy seen by your Vet, if it isn't bleeding badly I don't think you need to go to the ER but make an appointment early this week with your Vet. I wish Ziggy the best!