Preventing 'swimmers tail' in dogs

AgilityKrazii

AgilityKrazii

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About a week and a half ago I took my lab swimming and I started his dock diving training, he did awesome and had a blast, fetching his toy in the water and jumping off the low dock, well after we went back home I noticed he had gotten what some people call 'swimmers tail' also known as cold or limp tail. It took a week for it to be totally back to normal, it has happened before but was better in 2 days.

He loves to swim and now I'm worried whenever I take him dock diving or swimming that this will happen to his poor tail, is there anyway I can prevent this, like ways to strenghten his tail?

Thanks!!
 
OutlineACDs

OutlineACDs

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My advice is to keep him from overdoing it. Also, make sure he isn't swimming in cold water and getting too hot. I think the temperature change from cold to hot makes swimmers tail worse. If it's been awhile since my girls swam and I think they have overdone it, I will give them a dose os aspirin or rimadyl shortly after swimming.
 
lizzybeth727

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Aww, I hate swimmers tail! The poor dogs look so pittiful!

I agree, I think it's the cold water that makes it worse. I had a lab get it once, though, and he had not been swimming AND it wasn't particularly cold out. So I don't know if there's really a way to prevent it. Rimadyl did the trick for that dog, though, he was back to normal in about 12 hours.
 
smkie

smkie

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Amazing. I have never seen such a thing and i have been around labs and pointers all my life.
 
kms1167

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Add me to the list of not knowing about this! I am glad I came across this just in case- with a retriever who's always in the water I will be on the lookout!
 
OutlineACDs

OutlineACDs

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Well, all breeds can get it and not all labs will get it. My two ACD's are the only dogs I have ever seen with it. It is more common in dogs who swim, especially in cold water. So of course, that would qualify labs. :)

The first time my dog got it, I bathed her in cold water, but I blow dried her completely after the bath, I was freaked out the next day when she woke up with swimmer's tail.
 
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