RVC identifies dogs at most risk of tail injury
The most common breeds to have a tail injury are boxers, English springer spaniels and cocker spaniels.
The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has revealed the dog breeds which are at the most risk of having a tail injury.
The study, led by the RVC’s VetCompass Programme, also explores how often these injuries occur and how veterinary practices are approaching the care of dogs which have tail injuries.
Dogs’ tails play an important role in their daily lives, helping them with communication, balance, and scent marking. A tail injury can disrupt these essential natural behaviours and have serious welfare risks, causing pain and distress for dogs.
Researchers examined clinical records from random samples of 285 tail injury cases, as well as 285,000 controls, from a population of over 2,000,000 dogs in veterinary care in 2019.
The findings found that approximately 1 in 435 of all dogs in UK will present for veterinary care each year. The most common breeds to have a tail injury are boxers, English springer spaniels and cocker spaniels.
In contrast, the French bulldog, with its congenitally shortened tail, was less likely to have a tail injury.
When compared to breeds that are not recognised by the Kennel Club, working dogs and gundogs were at a higher risk of tail injury. Meanwhile dogs in the ‘toy’ group had a reduced risk.
Research also revealed that brachycephalic dog breeds were at a reduced risk of tail injury compared to mesocephalic dog breeds.
The treatment of tail injuries saw pain relief and antibiotics prescribed in 45.6 per cent and 32.6 per cent of cases respectively. Surgical amputation was performed in 9.1 per cent of cases.
Camilla Pegram, lecturer of veterinary epidemiology at the RVC, said: “This study has used the power of “big data” to robustly address the frequency, risk factors and clinical management of tail injuries in dogs.
“Not only are tail injuries painful, but they can also affect how dogs communicate and interact with the world around them. With tail docking no longer a routine practice, our findings highlight the dogs that may benefit from closer owner monitoring - particularly during high-energy activities.”
Dan O’Neill, associate professor in companion animal epidemiology, said: “Having a long happy tail to wag must be one of the greatest natural joys in any dog’s life.
“Although this new paper shows that tail injuries are relatively uncommon in dogs overall, owners of very active types of dogs such as boxer, English springer spaniel and cocker spaniel should be aware of their increased risk and try to reduce trauma to these dog’s tails.”
The full study can be found in the journal Veterinary Record.
Image © CL-Medien/Shutterstock
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