RE: To chomp or not to chomp?

bob lehner — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 13:31:56 GMT

If there is no obvious infection then just snip it off. I've seen a few cats with de-gloved tail ends and just a twig of dry bone left - snipped off- no probs.

RE: To chomp or not to chomp?

Thomas Johnson — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 12:15:47 GMT

[quote user="Will McMullan"]

Morning everyone.

I have inherited a case of a little JRT with a tail tip injury that led to tail tip amputation and the predictable wound breakdown and maceration of the distal inch of the tail. I have managed to get everything to settle down and the skin is all healing nicely. The problem I now have is that there is a TINY piece of bone poking through the skin at the very tip. This bone fragment is approx 2mm wide and 3mm long, and the skin is nicely sealed around the base of it. What I was thinking of doing was using some nail clippers to just cut the bone flush with the skin, and hope that it all forms a nice little scar to seal the tip. Do you think that sounds reasonable? The other question is - would you do it conscious or is that likely to be painful? I'm not trying to be cruel or lazy, but the owner's appetite for further sedation and intervention is waning. If you think it's likely to hurt I will insist on sedation and local but it's such a small fragment it's very tempting just to trim it off...

[/quote]

I think if the skin has completely healed and the only abnormality is the piece of bone protruding from the end of the tail then I would do as you're suggesting and just cut it at skin level. I have done this twice (one dog and one cat) and both had no further problems.

RE: To chomp or not to chomp?

Bob Russell — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 11:16:35 GMT

My experience is these injuries will keep flaring up. I never bother with amputating the tips. Amputation at a level I can be fairly sure will heal uneventfully!

This is what I would recommend here. 'Nice' old fashioned docked JRT!

I have always been strongly against docking but if you are going to do it, do it well. Tail tips are rubbish at healing, too cold!