[jcc]

Hi,
I am new to the forum. About 9 months ago my husband I adopted a beautiful 2 year old beagle girl, Gracie. Gracie is very shy to new situations but is extremely friendly to those people she knows. She is really happy at home and usually her tail is always up and wagging. The other day after we got home from our walk I noticed her tail was kind of drooping. I played with her and her tail would wag and when my husband came home her tail was wagging like crazy, but still kind of drooping. Now, a few days later, her tail will be up when she is running in the backyard or catching a toy, but when she is doing her usually sniffing route or eating her tail is down (it was always up when she did these activities before). She has been eating normally and has been very happy and playful. When I touch her tail it doesn't seem to bother her. Does anyone have any suggestions on what could be causing this weird drooping tail??

 

[Tucker]

It could be sprained so she only holds it up when she is real excited. Earlier this year Tucker sprained his tail. He held it down and wouldn't wag for about a week. After about two weeks he was holding it high again and wagging his butt again. I wouldn't worry too much now, but if it doesn't get better in a few days a vet visit might be in order.

 

[BookerMoose]

It could well be sprained or injured - our oldest beagle Booker has had a number of incidents over the year of a sore tail (usually caused by aggressive nesting with the blanket in her bed!) when she would go for about a week where her tail would be down and she would only gently wag it, if at all. It made her look despondent (and the first time it happened we definitely thought that she was upset).

We've had the vet look at it a couple of times over the year and there is no apparent injury or cause or anything that can really be done other than waiting until the problem works itself out. They did call the condition swimmer's tail one time because it often happens to dogs who swim a lot - I was going to go off and Google that but never quite got a round to it...

 

[jcc]

Thanks for the replies. I am going to wait before taking her to the vet because overall she seems her happy self. Yesterday when I got home from work I noticed it was up more than it has been in a few days but while it was up, the tip of the tail was curled to one side (which looks very weird), but she is still able to wag her tail and butt away. I will take a google at swimmer's tail and see what I can find (although Gracie is not a swimmer). Thanks for the input.

 

[vonny]

If it is swimmer tail it is usually bent over backwards in a sort of u shape.It could be a problem with her anal glands as this made Griffs tail droop.

 

[beaglesmom]

My Tanna has had that problem several times in the past couple of months - so far it's cleared up by itself - tho I have given him glucosomine and doggie aspirin. It usually takes a few days for it to stay up and wagging though. I think he's sprained it someway.

 

[jcc]

Her tail seems to be getting better but it is bent in a weird way when it eventually goes up, I guess you could call it a U-Shape. She seems fine and was full of energy this morning! So I am hoping a few days it will go away.

 

[Mollys Mom]

Molly has a strange little tail. It is down more than up, but when its up, its sort of half-up. She is very shy so I think that is the reason. The more relaxed she gets with us, the tail goes up more.