Dog Illnesses Drooping Tail

Rover just walked in and his tail was hanging pitifully between his legs. You know this is not normal for him, so you may be wondering if any dog illnesses can cause a drooping tail. Yes, there are a few injuries and illnesses that your best buddy can suffer through that will affect his tail in this manner. If he has gone swimming recently, he may have a condition called 'Swimmers Tail' which can be caused from the strain of trying to wag a tail under water. Think of how hard it is to move your arm quickly under water. Moving your arms fast underwater will fatigue you in a hurry if you persist because there is so much resistance. It is the same for your doggy's tail, only his tail wags instinctively and sometimes without his trying to wag it. Since there are muscles and nerves in the tail, a nerve can sometimes get pinched at the base from overuse. This will cause a temporary limpness of the tail and a lot of pain for your dog until it heals. Usually rest and some pain relievers from your vet is all that is needed to help Rover get a little pep back in his step. Dogs commonly can also sprain, strain or break their tail if something has happened to it like having it slammed in a door or some other type of injury. It is also important to note that dogs will commonly hold their tail prone between their legs temporarily if they are feeling poorly or have diarrhea. It can also be a symptom of their anal sacs needed to be squeezed. When this happens they have a lot of itching and are uncomfortable and their tails will hang to cover that area. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070516223358AAqI4aG http://www.dogster.com/forums/Dog_Health/thread/417311