Dog Tail

Dislocations occur in the tailsand the toes of dogs of all breeds. Puppies born with tails that bendbackward actually have dislocated vertebrae (an uncorrectable condi-tion). Bending the tail to straighten it usually results in breaking it ordamaging it so severely that the end below the break dies and must beremoved.

Toes that are broken at the joints usually are easily repaired by apply-ing casts to the feet after reduction or setting. But when a ligament ofthe toes is cut or broken, it seldom regenerates and the nail bendsupward. This is a familiar sight to veterinarians, who see so many steel-trap wounds.