Hi everyone so I noticed my new puppy has something going on with her tail if we could even call it that I got her yesterday as a gift and was so excited I didn’t even notice until now it looks like the tail either was docked way to short she can wag a little bit but I asked a vet for their opinion and they said if we cut it off she wouldn’t have a tail at all what do you guys think they also said maybe we should wait until she’s a bit older to see an outcome on her tail
Bad tail doc or keloid?
- Thread starter Alexus
- Start date
It looks like the stitches didn't heal properly, the skin below and above the dock should have closed together so no "raw" place is exposed. Did you just ask a vet on the phone or did someone look at this? Most tail docks are done at 2 or 3 days old to prevent trauma. If she was recently done (weeks old instead of days old) then it would be different healing problems than if it was done 8 or 10 weeks ago. That said, it doesn't look infected. There are other stories here about problem tail docks, but I personally don't have experience with this. Hopefully someone else will chime in with advice.
I had a vet take a look and I kind of feel like they wanted to brush me off because all the said was nope too late if I cut it off their will be no tail left I was very upset after that and decided to not go back there but I am hoping someone will chime in too
Your probably right I’m going to wait and see if any hair grows back it’s not bothering her as of now so I’m not super worried about it I was hoping it wasn’t anything harmful the vet said it was an eyesore
It's hard for me to tell if we are looking at tail protruding there, or if it's some sort of growth.
My last Dobe had a problem with his dock, and it was an open sore. The breeder said there was not enough skin to fix it while his ears were cropped. I was worried that it would get infected, especially because Oji had a major problem where he would pee and poop in his crate all the time – for months on end. His breeder told me that it would not result in an infection. That sounded amazing to me, but she is an experienced breeder and I trusted her. What could I do anyway? She turned out to be correct. No infection problem despite sitting and laying in poop!!
So Oji had a grey nub at the end of his tail his whole life. When he was young, it was sensitive and he'd yip a bit when it got hit, but eventually it was not. In fact, it only hurt me when I'd run into it – ha.
It is a short dock, yes; but it's not really uncommon. It's about the length that Oji's was. By the way, Oji's was docked using the old fashioned banding method. Do you know the method of her crop?
I don't want to stir the pot, but I have to wonder if you are experiencing the sort of discrimination that we run into as owners of docked & cropped breeds. Is the vet young? It's especially bad among young vets. Tail docking is not as triggering to today's vets as is ear cropping because several breeds, and some Doodles, still regularly get their tails docked. But it's just too easy for vets and their techs to take a dismissive or otherwise discriminatory tack with you when it comes to issues of cropping and docking.
Just keep a watch out for signs of infection, and take hope in what Oji's breeder said and how it came true.
My last Dobe had a problem with his dock, and it was an open sore. The breeder said there was not enough skin to fix it while his ears were cropped. I was worried that it would get infected, especially because Oji had a major problem where he would pee and poop in his crate all the time – for months on end. His breeder told me that it would not result in an infection. That sounded amazing to me, but she is an experienced breeder and I trusted her. What could I do anyway? She turned out to be correct. No infection problem despite sitting and laying in poop!!
So Oji had a grey nub at the end of his tail his whole life. When he was young, it was sensitive and he'd yip a bit when it got hit, but eventually it was not. In fact, it only hurt me when I'd run into it – ha.
It is a short dock, yes; but it's not really uncommon. It's about the length that Oji's was. By the way, Oji's was docked using the old fashioned banding method. Do you know the method of her crop?
I don't want to stir the pot, but I have to wonder if you are experiencing the sort of discrimination that we run into as owners of docked & cropped breeds. Is the vet young? It's especially bad among young vets. Tail docking is not as triggering to today's vets as is ear cropping because several breeds, and some Doodles, still regularly get their tails docked. But it's just too easy for vets and their techs to take a dismissive or otherwise discriminatory tack with you when it comes to issues of cropping and docking.
Just keep a watch out for signs of infection, and take hope in what Oji's breeder said and how it came true.
Oh, I will add that fur did cover a lot of his grey nub, but not all. Honestly, he did not have as much exposed as I see in your pics though.
I will update with more pictures in the morning she is currently asleep in her crate I really appreciate all this feedback I’m learning so much I don’t actually know the method she was given to me as a gift and I noticed her tail early this morning surprisingly the vet I saw was an older man( senior) so maybe he was being a bit judgmental towards her breed and as to why she was cropped and docked
She is 11 weeks and 5 days old her birthday is October 8 2024
No she doesn’t seem bothered I will ask my family if they have the breeders contact infoDoes it seem to bother her? Is she trying to lick it? Are you able to contact her breeder just to ask questions? I am certain she will bring you much JOY
I wouldn't worry about it too much. I've seen this happen more than once. Could be as simple as Mom licked the dock wound and caused it. Could be anything. Bottom line is does it really matter in the big picture? As she grows so will the surrounding hair and it may no even show much. You'll still love the little shark and she'll grow to be one of the best companions you ever had. 
