My puppy is gravely ill after tail docking. What should I do?

Question

My uncle docked his dog's tail. She's about one month old and we noticed she has been sleeping a lot. Today she looked like she wasn't moving at all and we thought she passed due to infection of her docked tail. When we got closer we saw her move her head a little and got into action mode to give her antibiotics I had gotten from the vet for my cats. She passed some kind of fluid that had a high odor and barely moved. Is there anything we can do at this point to save her? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 1 month and 21 days old | 8 lbs

Destini R. Holloway, DVM · Accepted Answer

Poor dog. Unfortunately you need to get this pet evaluated by your vet and treated by your vet. It is possible the antibiotics you have is not the proper dosage for your dog. Cats are much smaller in weight and antibiotics are dosed out per body weight. Also certain antibiotics treat for certain areas of the body. The wound also sounds like it needs to be properly flushed and antiseptically cleansed (i.e. Betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water or Chlorhexidine 3% solution). Docking your own pets tail is problematic because you need to properly close the incision site with sutures to prevent infections like this from happening. Without proper closure infection will seep in and require even more medical treatment which involves removing any infected or necrotic tissue and often-times stronger or multiple antibiotics are needed if the infection is severe enough.

My puppy is gravely ill after tail docking. What should I do?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

Why is my mouse's eye swollen, cloudy, and has pus?

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

My pet is breathing hard, not eating, and lethargic. What's wrong?

My pet has red spots all over. What's causing them and what to do?

My small pet is limping and can't bear weight. Should I see a vet?

My dwarf hamster has a shut eye and is limping. What should I do?

Share