Is your doggie experiencing any pain in his tail? If you think something is amiss, you may need to take him to the vet to see if he's dealing with a limber tail.
Thankfully, the indicators of limp tail usually reach a resolution within a few days or weeks. However, if he's in pain it's okay to get help. The fact that it resolves on its own, however, may be why so many cases are not reported to vets.
The majority of dogs in the study were pets but those affected by limber tail were more likely to be working dogs, they found.
Swimming has previously been thought to be a risk factor for limber tail, which is sometimes known as ‘swimmers' tail'. Some but not all of the affected dogs had been swimming prior to the onset of symptoms, the study found.
Dogs with the condition were more likely to live in northern areas, lending support to anecdotal reports that limber tail is associated with exposure to the cold.
Labradors that had suffered limber tail were more likely to be related to each other than unaffected dogs, which may indicate an underlying genetic risk.
Experts hope that further studies will identify genes associated with the condition, which could one day help breeders to identify animals that are likely to be affected. Over time, this could help to reduce the disease prevalence.
While this may seem an inconsequential illness, something a pooch can easily get over, we have to remind ourselves that it is also very painful for our pets. Enough so that more and more studies have been ordered.
To read more on the research on a limber tail please go to Science Daily.
The illness may have everything to do with region, breed, and profession but it is not something we want to see any pup suffer, though!
