Broken Tail. WTD??? Updated! Updated Again

[Jennifer and Jack]

UPDATED. I SCANNED AND EMAILED TWO VETS AND BOTH SAID THE SAME THING THAT IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, AMPUTATION IS THE WAY TO GO BECAUSE IT IS NOT GOING TO HEAL ON IT'S OWN AND IT IS PAINFUL BECAUSE EVERY TIME THEY MOVE THE BONES ARE GRINDING... I AM TOTALLY FINE, SLIGHTLY SAD BUT ALL I WANT IS FOR HIM TO BE COMFORTABLE, LISTENING TO HIM CRY LAST NIGHT JUST ABOUT DID ME IN... WE ARE GOING TO MY MOM'S VET AT 3 TO GET BETTER PAIN MANAGEMENT BUT AGAIN, MY VET AT HOME AND THIS VET SAID THE SAME THING, AMPUTATION.... ALL HE DID WAS WAG HIS TAIL TO HARD BECAUSE HE WAS HAPPY TO SEE ME, I COULD SCREAM.... I HAVE NOT DECIDED WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO YET, BUT I WON'T LET HIM SUFFER.... I COULD CARE LESS IF HE IS BALD, AND NO TAIL AT ALL I WON'T LET HIM BE IN PAIN.AND HE IS NOT DOING WELL ON PAIN MEDICATIONS..

UPDATE 2. WE WENT WITH THE ATTITUDE THAT WE WILL DO WHATEVER IS BEST FOR JACK NO MATTER WHAT.. I LOVED THIS VET..I SERIOUSLY WAS CRUSHING ON HIM, OXYGEN, WHEEL CHAIR AND IV'S AND ALL... HE SPENT AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF TIME WITH US... EXPLAINING THINGS, SHOWING US HOW TO DO THINGS ETC.... JACK WAS DEHYDRATED BECAUSE HE HAS NOT HAD ANYTHING TO DRINK SO FIRST THEY DID BLOOD WORK TO CHECK HIS LIVER AND KIDNEY'S AND GAVE HIM A BUNCH OF IV FLUIDS SUB Q ...... HE WAS NOT ABLE TO PULL UP THE FILM OF THE BREAK ON HIS COMPUTER BECAUSE THE DIP STICKS FROM THE ER VET NEVER PUT IT ON THERE IT WAS BLANK.. MOVING FORWARD.. HIS DOSE OF TRAMADOL WAS WAY TOO HIGH WHICH I ALREADY KNEW AND THANK GOD F SHOWED ME THE MG PER KG BECAUSE IT WAS DOUBLE WHAT IT SHOULD BE AND I KNEW IT WAS TOO MUCH...... THE PLAN IS TO KEEP HIM MEDICATED, HE TOO SAID NO SPLINTING, THERE IS NO WOUND ...... EVEN THOUGH HE IS ON PREDNISONE HE IS GIVING HIM METACAM WHICH IS A PRICY NSAID..BUT WITHT HAT COME SUCRALFATE AND AND PEPCID TO COAT HIS STOMACH.... HE SAID THAT THE FIRST SEVEN DAYS ARE THE MOST PAINFUL AND AFTER THAT HE SHOULD BE BACK TO HIMSELF WITH THE AREA JUST BEING TENDER.... THEY  DID NOT MENTION AMPUTATION AT ALL BUT I DID AS MY MOTHER KICKED ME FOR REAL ..BUT THEY WILL AMPUTATE ONLY IF THEY CAN NOT CONTROL THE PAIN OR IF HE IS BITING AT HIS TAIL, NONE OF WHICH HE IS DOING..... SO FOR NOW, HALF THE DOSE OF TRAMADOL HE WAS ON, METACAM,  ADN THEN THE MEDICATIONS TO COAT THE TUMMY.. PLUS THEY GAVE HIM IV FLUIDS...WHEN I TELL YOU I LOVED THIS VET I MEAN I LOVED HIM, HE WAS SMART, ASKED HOW I FELT ABOUT THINGS...... SHOWED ME THERE WAS SOMETHING CALLED A PILL SHOOTER THAT WILL HELP MR I CAN SPIT ANYTHING OUT OF MY MOUTH SWALLOW HIS PILLS... HE IS HOME RESTING.... THEY FEEL HE IS HAVING A LOT OF PAIN BUT WE ARE HOPING BY ADDING THE METACAM THAT WILL HELP......THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INPUT, LOVE AND ADVICE.... IF JACK IS NOT ABLE TO GET HIS PAIN WELL CONTROLLED I WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION BUT THIS VET FEELS HIS TAIL WILL HEAL CROOKED BUT IT WILL HEAL......

THE SWEET LITTLE BABY WHEN WE WALKED IN TO THE VET RAN UP TO THEM WAGGING HIS LITTLE TAIL AND GREETED THEM ALL WITH KISSES.... I HAVE NEVER LOVED HIM MORE

I am not exactly sure how much more crap we can endure....... Jack has been staying with my mom and I finally got to see him yesterday.. He was super excited to see me, screaming. crying to get to me when he saw me in the car.. he seemed fine but I literally only saw him for a few minutes then had to leave again for a few hours, when we came home he was FREAKING out....... we thought it was because he is a medical alert dog for me and I am beyond sick at this point.. to say the least, I am using a wheel chair but we had not even got it in the house. He was clinging to me then to my mom then jumping off the bed and hiding.. Very unlike him...

I examined his hip from top to bottom last night because I noticed he was not sitting right ..... his hip was okay... (remember he has an old hip injury)  but he was acting freakishly weird around me and we just assumed he knows how sick I am now anyway...sorry dang steroids got me a mess.. moving forward, I woke up this morning and noticed Jack's tail was not right.. it is quite obvious ..but to someone who is dealing what I am dealing with I don't know if I saw it last night and my mom is beside herself with worry for me so she has no clue.

So off we went ..me, my 9000 pieces of medical equipment, my mom, Jack and Molly to the ER by her house.. You can see the break it is toward the bottom and makes a C shape in his tail.

He is unable to get his tail to go up and was in a lot of pain, they gave him doggie morphine but because the bone is separated  they could not splint it because it would be applying pressure and cause a lot more pain.... It doesn't make sense to me since it is so broken, I know it isn't the end of the world but I LOVE his tail and I hate for it to be slumped over forever.

The worst part is I can't drive right now and my family and friends are with me around the clock and now of course I want to get Jack to an orthopedic doctor to see what they can do for him but  I won't be able to get him there until I get back home which will be at least a week or so...

I know we have had a lot of doodles with tails amputated recently or at least a few... Jack has no score, scratches, cuts or bruises anywhere on his tail.

He was at the groomer the day before my last admission to the hospital but I specifically remember his tail being up, his tail is always up....   and the ER vet said the break looks new.. plus he has swelling.

Believe it or not I am not overreacting.. I probably just don't have the energy to and I am so grateful he it is not life threatening but we have no idea how this happen, the vet said it is usually a break that i done by closing a tail in the door....but my my swears she didn't and she would have heard it, plus when I intially saw him yesterday I would have known his tail was bent like this I think......

So for those of you who have had dogs with broken tails...... what did you do? I have insurance so I can do anything and have it covered . the vet didn't think the orthopedic dr would do much more.

We were a sight for sure at the ER vet, my mom freaking over me, Me Crying over Jack, Molly Just freaking and Jack stoned on Morphine..... 

Any advice?

[F, Calla & Luca]

Just saw the updates. I am hoping Jack,s tail heals on it own but if not i know you will do what's best.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Thanks F..you sharing your story is exactly why I am on top of him making sure he isn't in pain......I would rather get it over with and know for sure the healing is on it's way but my mom thinks I am not thinking clearly.....but dang if he suffers it kills me....he is so mad at me because I am shoving pills in his mouth he won't sleep with me and I have to keep checking on him to make sure he is comfortable...


Seriously your story has Impacted me the most........my New Jersey family is coming on the 14th and they are bringing me home......if he is not considerable better by then we are going to my local vet who is the one who suggested removing the tail at the broken spot.....it just seems so much better...but he is perky and happy when the narcotics wear off.

I can't tell you how grateful I am to be ale,to come here and get love bombed ..get advice and help.......you all make me a better doodle mom....

Thank you

[Jennifer and Jack]

One more question ??? At least for now? Jack is sleeping soundly out cold.....he is due for his narcotics pain medication and is stomach coating one in a little while...do you wake a dog up to medicate or let him sleep? Sorry if that sounds stupid..I know if it was an antibiotic what to do but no idea about a pain pill...I kind of want to stay on top of the pain but he is so comfortable and not squirming for the first time since this happen.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I would wait personally but that's the problem with asking more than one person. Luca really did not get pain medication for the most part in the interim before his surgery. Of course his tail was bandaged. But he had two displaced fractures and a simple fracture. On rare occasions he yelped but he really was not in pain for the most part.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Wow...tough question. 6 of one, 1/2 dozen of the other. I think I would wake him. Staying on top of the pain. I know anytime I've had pain medication, Drs have always recommended taking it on time. Figure he has to get up to go out anyway, right? Wishing you both a deep sleep night!

[Minda and Callie]

I know you asked this yesterday but wanted to add that I would wake him up.  My daughter broke both of her arms two years ago and the only way we could keep her somewhat comfortable was to stay ahead of the pain.  If we were late at all it was impossible to catch up.  

So sorry you are going through this with all that you have going on already.  Hugs and prayers to you all.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Jennifer, I am so sorry that you and Jack are having to deal with this. I hope he heals quickly and no surgery will be necessary. To answer the pain pill question, I would wake him and give it to him, if you wait till he's having pain, it's harder to control and he will be very uncomfortable while you are waiting for it to take effect. That just my opinion, but it comes from years of experience with post op ortho patients. :>) Hugs to both of you and I hope you feel better soon as well. 

[jenn D]

Jennifer,
I'm thinking of you and Jack. How horrible for him and so tough for you with what you are going through. Big hugs from New Mexico.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

 I am glad that you saw a vet you feel you can trust and hope Jack can heal without surgery.  I hope he feels better soon.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Hopefully you will be able to get some rest and feel better, and that Jack will heal quickly!  I am so sorry to hear of your troubles.  Hang in there!  Thinking of you both and praying for a better tomorrow!

[Jennifer and Jack]

Thank you, I did wake him because I wanted to make sure he slept through the night well and he did.. Jack IS displaying pain if he is not given his pain medication.. He is restless, pants and is just not comfortable.....

I don't know what it is but he slept through till 6 am no crying and yelping till 6 am... we gave him his medications and he settled back down... I don't know if it is the metacam added to the mix or what but I can tell you .. I am SO grateful he seems more comfortable..... my heart can't bare it and I know it's just a tail .... I was ready to have the tail amputated just to get it over with like my regular vet suggested but this morning when my mom went to take them for a walk, he poked his tail up all the way as it was wagging.. it didn't stay up but he was able to get it .... 

Today we are both staying in bed and resting.. My heart is so happy not for any other reason other then he doesn't seem to be in as much pain..... 

Jack is very good at letting me know when he doesn't feel well and he doesn't take pain well at all so that could be why he is requiring pain medication.. Jack cries seriously if he stubs his toe :)    

I can reduce his narcotics as he starts to get better from three times a day to twice a day but he seems to get really uncomfortable when they wear off so for now, three times a day...then two..then one... then NONE..

WE are moving forward.... Jack and I decided Tails and Lungs and airways are WAY over rated and we don't need them to be happy... :)

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I hope you and Jack had a restful, pain free day. Sounds like he is on the mend and you have his pain management well managed. Yes, Tail, Lungs and airways are so over rated! Lol