From Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM,
Your Guide to Veterinary Medicine.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Your otherwise healthy dog comes in from the backyard, a swim or a day hiking and you are shocked to find that he can't lift his tail all of the way. What happened? Is this an emergency? Read this FAQ to find out more about this fairly common tail occurrence of large breed dogs.

A. Note: caution is advised whenever an animal is painful! Even the most docile pets can be a bite risk if they are in pain or fearful.

This FAQ is in response to a recent question that was posted in the Vet Med forum. This condition is known by many nicknames including: limp tail, dead tail, cold tail, broken tail, and so on. Commonly seen in large active dogs, this condition often appears suddenly and after vigorous exercise or activity. Other cases have been reported after long periods of being in the same position, such as being in a crate. The exact cause is not known, but it is thought that the muscles that "run" the tail become overworked or injured, resulting in pain and inability/reluctance to move the tail. Rest is usually curative in a few days.

It is important to note that there are other causes of odd tail movement/flaccidness; some of them serious and requiring immediate veterinary attention.

• Your dog's tail may have an injury -- caught in a door, someone grabbed the tail or anything that physically pulls on it, causing muscle separation/tearing.
• A bite wound or other skin-damaging wound that could become abscessed, requiring drainage and antibiotics.
• Anal sacs that are impacted or infected can also cause a dog to hold the tail down and be protective of the area and painful.
• A dog that is scared, in estrus, or not feeling well in general may hold the tail down, as tail position is an important way for dogs to communicate.
• Back problems or injury
• Generalized weakness from neuromuscular or metabolic disease

Any time your pet is in pain or not feeling well warrants a call to your veterinarian. This article is not intended to "diagnose" a limp tail; as noted that there may be other reasons why a tail is limp that could be quite serious. Your veterinarian can advise you if any treatment or pain medication is necessary. Because it is not often known what the cause is, please see your veterinarian first before administering any home remedies such as aspirin or other medications (it is not advised to give acetaminophen or ibuprofen at all, unless under veterinary supervision).