Our flatcoat is still having problems with her split tail and the vet wants to amputate about one and a half inches. Has anybody had experience of this sort of operation as somebody wrote it was horrendous in a previous post. The vet says it should take 10 days to heal but there is always the risk that they may have to take more off if the problem persists. We are still on antibiotics to prevent infection and have just started using 1500mg Evening Primrose Oil daily, but the vet thinks it won't circulate to her tail. Any further help appreciated.

Hi S-M,

One of the hardest problems to cure, frustrating isn't it. Not relating to the op, but a friend of mine had this problem with her Champion Great Dane - 2-3 inches of raw skin, virtually showing bone, and was on the verge of having it amputated. She was recommended to try very high doses of liquid Aloe Vera (given internally), and hey presto tail was saved.

Don't know if it would work for you, but might be worth a try if you're not yet ready to make the big decision?

M.

wispa tail is looking good at the moment it been 6 weeks,still banage up very day and putting and gel from the vets call intrasite gel,you could see the bone when the puppies were born that was 4 weeks ago,now new skin is forming but still very red,but healing up.

Glad Wispas tail is healing. Livvy's tail has no open wound, but the end is very dry and keeps cracking and bleeding. The blood now doesn't seem to be circulating to the end of her tail. We would like to try alternative methods, but the vet said it would be 6 weeks before we would see if evening primrose oil would have any effect, and he didn't think it would circulate to the end of her tail, I suppose that would be the same with Aloe Vera(What dose did your friend use?) Is Intrasite gel just for wounds or is it good for dry/dead skin?

Olive oil or baby oil on the dry skin (preferably applied just before going out for a walk so it doesn't immediately get licked off) should help get the skin supple.
Worth a try, anyway. :)

Have knowledge of an adult Newfie having part of the tail removed because of damage that would not heal. The vet in this case removed one segment of spine from above the damaged area so there was enough skin to cover the end bone. It did then heal but it took it's time and there was the worry that the infection had moved further up the tail and not enough tail had been removed, but you can only leave that to the vet to decide.

Split tail is the very devil to get to heal and once it has happened it seems to happen again & again. One would think the dog would learn to keep his tail still, but they don't.

my friend with a gordon setter has been in is feild too,she said her vet went one vertebra high and rool the skinback like a peeled sauage,cut off the damage section,then you got more skin to roll back over the cut site,if you under stand me,
the gel i was told is good for cut /burns in horse,but use on small animals as well,it making the skin clean plus new blood flow to the site beacuse it is red,and you cannot see the bone now,but if yours is bleed shaw there must be blood flow to the site or it would not bleed,
wispa is so good in letting chage the dressing it down to one person now,she go back to the vets when the puppies have gone,she not on antboitics,
you could give arnica as alternative.

Her tail is now bleeding higher up where the vet has shaved off more fur, the end is now a different colour to the rest. Where can we buy these creams?

There is a problem of the damaged tissue dying and the infected/affected area moving further up the tail. Have you decided to have the damaged part removed, if so I would do so sooner rather that later. As in all matters you will have to be guided by a vet you trust, but from what you say I don't think the matter should be delayed for too long.

Hi, so sorry you are having such problems. The only help I could offer would be to send you an aloe vera plant. The sap aqueezed onto any skin abrasion/injury will heal, if anything can - this will. If you would like one - my email address is accesable from this site and I will send you one straight away.
PS if anyone else wants one I am selling them on e bay. :-)
sorry admin if this is not allowed - feel free to snip me. ;-)

the gel is from the vets,arnica tablets from a good health shop,homopath chemlists.

the gel is from the vets,arnica tablets from a good health shop,homopath chemlists.

the gel is from the vets,arnica tablets from a good health shop,homopath chemlists.

My springer had his tail amputated after damage caused whilst working. It is now only about 4" long and took an incredibly long time to heal. Retrospectively he was in pain for some time after and still gets nervous about people touching his back. It has just taught me that I would never again chose a working dog with a complete tail. We spent almost a year going backwards and forwards to the vet for various treatments and in the end to remove the damage was the only option.

Good luck.