Limber Tail Syndrome in Dogs

Symptoms of limber tail typically happen within twenty-four hours of strenuous activity, particularly swimming or activity that occurs in a cold environment. The tail either hangs limp or sticks out straight for two to three inches and then hangs down. Additional signs that your dog has acquired this disorder include: 

• Difficulty defecating
• Loss of appetite
• Pain at base of tail
• Reluctance to sit 
• Swelling at base of tail
• Whimpering or vocalizations

Types

Although any dog can develop a case of acute caudle myopathy, it is much more common for active working dogs and sporting dogs, particularly hunting dogs. Dogs that spend a great deal of time playing or working in water, particularly cold water, are much more likely than others to develop this disorder, giving it its alternate name of swimmer’s tail. Dog breeds that are overrepresented with this condition can include:

• American Water Spaniel
• Basset Hound
• Beagle
• Brittany Spaniel
• Chesapeake Bay Retriever
• English Pointer
• English Setter
• Flat-coated Retriever
• Foxhound
• German Shorthaired Pointer
• Golden Retriever
• Irish Setter
• Labrador Retriever
• Springer Spaniel
• Vizsla

This syndrome is caused by pain and swelling at the base of the tail, either due to overwork or stress injuries. It is believed that the pain and swelling of this condition is caused partially due to restricted blood flow to the muscles that control the tail. There are circumstances that can trigger this syndrome including:

• Cold water bathing
• Cold, wet weather
• Hunting
• Long-term confinement to crate
• Swimming

While limber tail is often a disorder that can be managed at home, canines with the symptoms of this disorder should be seen by the veterinarian as it can mimic more serious disorders. As such, the diagnosis of limber tail syndrome is generally a diagnosis of exclusion.  The examining veterinarian will want to evaluate the patient’s overall health and well-being by performing a general physical examination.

This will include checking the dog’s respiration, heart rate, and temperature, as well as getting a full history of the dog, both a medical history and an account of the patient’s recent activities. The anal glands will be examined to ensure that there is no infection or inflammation, and in order to determine the condition of the bones in the tail and lower back x-ray imaging will be employed. This will help rule out skeletal disorders such as a broken tail, osteoarthritis, or a diseased intervertebral disk.

Limber tail syndrome typically clears up on its own in just a few days with a period of rest, although it tends to be quite uncomfortable for the dog until it heals. By reducing the amount of activity and keeping the patient calm and quiet the discomfort will be somewhat mitigated, however, there are a few other methods that can be used to ease both the pain and swelling. The simplest way of relieving the pain and discomfort is often a warm compress periodically applied to the base of the tail, which helps to stimulate blood flow to the area.

Your veterinarian may also recommend anti-inflammatory medications, usually in the form of NSAIDs like Rimadyl and Deramaxx formulated for canines. Occasionally, corticosteroids are also injected at the base of the tail in an attempt to alleviate the symptoms that this disorder causes as well as shortening the duration of the inflammation.