Meet Dolly: Our Brave Family Dog
Dolly is a happy, lovely family dog who had a little trouble with her tail—though not the kind she could chase! Our Vet Cristina welcomed Dolly when she came for a consultation and found that a Corkscrew Tail was the issue.
Understanding Corkscrew Tail
In this condition, the tail takes on an abnormal shape and curvature. Affected dogs typically have a deep skin fold surrounding a tightly-curled, malformed tail. This deep skin fold is predisposed to developing skin infections, which can become severe and negatively impact the dog’s quality of life.
Initial Treatment and the Tough Decision
Dolly was prescribed a course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication, but the final solution was surgery. Dolly’s owners faced the difficult decision of having her tail deeply amputated, which would leave her without a tail. And don’t we all love a waggy bum/tail? This surgery is more complex than a standard tail amputation and can have some complications, including incontinence.
(Warning - Sensitive pictures – Hover to reveal)
The Surgery and Dolly’s Recovery
After careful consideration, Dolly’s owners gave us the go-ahead, and Dolly was scheduled for surgery. A team of two vets and two nurses attended to Dolly, and the operation was a success! Dolly was a trooper throughout and never lost her spirit. As the days passed and her wound healed, we could see that her face was more relaxed—a sign that she was no longer in pain. According to her owners, “her personality is coming through and she is much more playful.”
The Happy Outcome
Isn’t that amazing? Sometimes we only understand how things can affect our pets once the issue is resolved and then we see how their quality of life improves.
Join us in showing some love to Dolly 💕.
