Merlot has a floppy tail today, she was fine when she got up this morning but as I was getting them ready for their walk she suddenly started to droop it and looked very sad, I took them out hoping she had just whacked it against the door frame...you know waving it about like a mad thing they often sound like they are beating their tails to death! Anyway no improvement during the walk so of the see Auntie Gina the Vet, It seems as I thought she has bruised it and it is still very droopy now some 8 hours and some pain relief later. She is on anti-inflammatories for three days and back to vet Monday if not waving happily again. She looks so sad, horrid to see my usually mad tail waving girl with a limp hanging wagger. I would say it looks like swimmers tail, but she does not swim although did as usual paddle up to her elbows in the pool yesterday...wonder if it has any bearing on the situation?
Anyone else have tail droopy problems? if so how long did it last? Vet said nothing broken or dislocated but just possible bruising though Merlot did not seem to have any pain on manipulation!
Aileen.

One of Hamiltons had this once.  She was playing with my and a friends dogs and one of them ran full pelt right up behind her and didn't stop!  She gave a small yelp at the time but nothing untoward.  It was only coming home that we realised she had no life in it at all.  I rang round a few people and had a word with my vet (who I've known ever since I was little - he used to go to school with my older brother :-D ) and they said just leave it and see.  It gave her no trouble at all but, like you said, it looks so weird!  It took about 3 weeks to get back to normal but my vet really didn't want to give her anything unless neccessary so she never had any meds.

Debs

I've heard of a few dogs having a dead tail after getting wet or damp!  From what I've heard it normally goes within a day or two.

hope her tails better soon merlot

This always happens to my springer when we bath him - he loses the strength to hold it up and wag it, it just hangs limp.
all goes back to normal the next day.