FAO Bex - RE: Inverted Tail

[Moo27]

Hi chick,

Was hoping you might be able to give me a little bit of advice!

Poor Ole Beau..... ive always noticed that her tail is a completely different type to Boris'... his is what i would consider 'normal' and pokes straight out... Hers bends round and almost goes into her body, but ive always been able to get behind it to clean it, and its never really caused her any bother, maybe just sat a little awkwardly!

Well yesterday, she was making a funny noise, a little bit like a cry, but lets face it, most bulldog noises arent as 'normal' as other dog noises! Well she was pacing, and she NEVER does this.... Ive sat on the floor to comfort her, and just thought 'ill give a going over with the baby wipes whilst im sat here with her....

oh... my ... god.... i feel like such a bad bully mummy.

Her tail is very very tight against her bum, but yesterday, it looked like its caused a MAJOR sore... i mean imagine a sausage, pierce a little hole in it and the flesh comes out... it looks like that Ive cleaned it and put sudocrem on it, and she does seem much more settled now. But it Definitely wasnt like it the day before as i routinely clean her bum and check her.

Ive spoken to a vert who has basically said keep it clean, sudocrem is good, and to also buy some medicated talc. But its clear this is really giving her pain.

Apparently amputation is an option if it is very severe.

Have you ever had any experiences of dogs with inverted tails?

Thanks in advance!

[bexVN]

Yes, we have a bulldog on the books who has suffered this, really keeping clean is the best solution, it will be very sore.

I'm not sure sudocrem is the best cream for this though.

I remember we actually sedated her to give it a proper flush, clean then steroid cream (and quite probably antibiotics)

After that we had her in a couple of times a week to bathe it (though can't remember if it was with chlorhexadine or malaseb) and taught the owner how to keep it clean (stop faeces impacting underneath which is what caused the soreness)

Amputation was discussed but we wanted to avoid. I think the dog has been doing ok, this was quite a while ago.

Has your vet actually seen it?

[Moo27]

Thanks Bex.... it doesnt stop her from pooing at all..

With boris, you cant see his bum hole, his tail just sits neatly over it, with beau, hers is PROPER scew wiff! lol

You cant really see just how tight her tail is in this picture, but where the dark line is, is where is goes RIGHT back into her body, about an inch id say, and its behind there where the sore is!



The vet hasnt seen it no, he said he didnt feel there was any need to! but may well just go and take her down.

What would you recommend to put on it as opposed to sudocrem?!

Considering shes not even 2 years old, she walks around and acts like shes a proper old lady! She sleeps SO much, when she gets up she is so so stiff, her back legs are BADLY bowed ( hence the name!) and she very rarely wants to play, she just wants a cuddle all the time. But i am thinking that the discomfort of her tail could well be a reason for her being

[bexVN]

I'm just thinking that initially she needs something with antibiotic and steroid in it. E.G. Fuciderm but this would need a vet assessment and I'm only suggesting not diagnosing.

The steroid will reduce the inflammation and discomfort and the antibiotic will help with potential infection esp due the area.
Fuciderm is not a long term cream as steroid can actually slow down the healing! but this type of cream cam be very good to start with.

You may not need long term creams once the initial flare up has been sorted just monitoring.

Her twisted tail may indicate twisted spine adding to her problems (I know this happens in pugs who are very similar in 'design'). I'm afraid she seems to have all that is bad in the breed for her health , her breeder has very poor lines, I hope they are not still breeding.

I'm just relieved we are finally starting to see a better line of the breed come through but there is one thing you can't beat and that's their character

[Moo27]

Thanks for your reply Bex, i really appreciate it.

Regardless of what the vet has said i think i am just going to take her down there ya know, just so he can see for himself, ill be much happier that way.

~Now you mention twisted spine, i have always thought she has curvature of the spine, as her back arches badly, and is VERY boney, literally just a covering of skin!

As for her breeder, unfortunately he has been reknowed for being a bit of a 'puppy farmer' which makes me so sad. He has since been struck off the kennel club registred as a recognised breeder, and a lot of people 'in the know' wont go near him with a barge pole, unfortunately those that havent heard of him, just see 'cheap' bulldogs for sale. Its so sad.

I look at Boris who is a fantastic example of a bully, and it makes me so sad to see beau the way she is.

Im just so worried ill take her to a vets and he'll condemn her!!

[bexVN]

I'm sure they won't esp as they see you want to do what you can for her (and you rescued her!)

My boss is a bully sympathiser ever since taking one on herself (as a rehome) he's called George . He's a good example of the breed yet still has skin issues!

She has become known as a Bully 'specialist' now, as a result we see a lot of them! I think she would be happier known as someone with a knowledgeable interest rather than a specialist!!

[Moo27]

Awww bless her!

Bully specialist vets are so hard to come by, as bullys are reknowned for having nothing wrong with them, but that would be an issue in a 'normal' dog if that makes sense.

But thank you for your advice!