Title: Limber tail syndrome

{{Short description|Neurological disease in dogs with pain and paralysis in the tail area}}
{{More footnotes|date=August 2009}}
[[File:LimberTail.jpg|thumb|A Labrador Retriever with limber tail syndrome]]
'''Limber tail syndrome''', or '''acute caudal myopathy''', is a disorder of the muscles in the tail, usually affecting [[working dog]]s.&lt;ref&gt;{{cite book|title=Veterinary Neuroanatomy and Clinical Neurology|url=https://archive.org/details/veterinaryneuroa00phda|url-access=limited|author-last1=De Lahunta|author-first1=Alexander|author-last2= Glass|author-first2=Eric|chapter=Limber tail syndrome, or acute caudal myopathy|pages=[https://archive.org/details/veterinaryneuroa00phda/page/n116 113]–114|edition=3rd |publisher=Saunders Elsevier|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7216-6706-5}}&lt;/ref&gt;

It is an injury occurring mostly in sporting or working dogs such as [[Pointer (dog breed)|English Pointer]]s, [[English Setter]]s, [[Foxhound]]s, [[Beagle]]s, and [[Labrador Retriever]]s. [https://labrajoy.com/labrador-retriever-tail-types/#1-limber-tail-syndrome Limber tail syndrome]&lt;ref&gt; labrajoy.com&lt;/ref&gt; is also known as swimmer's tail, cold water tail, broken tail, dead tail, or broken wag.

==Signs and symptoms==
The injury affects the tail of the dog, causing it to be painful at or near its base. Limber tail can be recognized by a very flaccid tail, or a tail that is held horizontally for approximately 10&amp;nbsp;cm, and then drops vertically. The condition is also more pronounced in dogs that wag their tails a lot. Some dogs may also pant or shake.

==Cause==
Limber tail normally occurs shortly (within 24 hours) after swimming in water that is too cold or, on rare occasions, too warm.{{cn|date=October 2017}} The actual cause is unknown but it may be caused by the narrowing of the space through which the spinal cord passes, typically due to degenerative change to the inter vertebral disk spaces.{{cn|date=October 2017}} These underlying changes may not lead to visible change until the problem is suddenly exacerbated, such as during physical activity, after trauma, etc. Occasionally other changes are seen prior to or in conjunction with limber tail disease, such as urinary or fecal incontinence, postural abnormalities in the pelvic limb, or pain in response to touching the lower back.

==Treatment==
With rest, the tail returns to normal within a few days.&lt;ref name=&quot;Henderson 2015&quot;&gt;{{cite journal|last1=Henderson|first1=AL|last2=Latimer|first2=C|last3=Millis|first3=DL|title=Rehabilitation and physical therapy for selected orthopedic conditions in veterinary patients|journal=The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Small Animal Practice|date=January 2015|volume=45|issue=1|pages=91–121|doi=10.1016/j.cvsm.2014.09.006|pmid=25432683}}&lt;/ref&gt; Pain relief, such as a [[nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug]] may be administered.&lt;ref name=&quot;Henderson 2015&quot;/&gt; The symptoms may recur.&lt;ref name=&quot;Henderson 2015&quot;/&gt;

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{refbegin}}
*Steiss, Janet E. &amp; Wright, J.C., Limber Tail Syndrome in Hunting Dogs, Sports Medicine Program Newsletter, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Winter 1995
*Grayson, Peggy, Water and the dead tail syndrome, Dog World, May 5, 1995
* {{cite journal|last1=Steiss|first1=J|last2=Braund|first2=K|last3=Wright|first3=J|last4=Lenz|first4=S|last5=Hudson|first5=J|last6=Brawner|first6=W|last7=Hathcock|first7=J|last8=Purohit|first8=R|last9=Bell|first9=L|last10=Horne|first10=R|title=Coccygeal muscle injury in English Pointers (limber tail)|journal=Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine|date=1999|volume=13|issue=6|pages=540–8|pmid=10587253|doi=10.1111/j.1939-1676.1999.tb02207.x}}
{{refend}}

[[Category:Syndromes in dogs]]