Vet shares painful side effect of dog wagging tail ‘too much’

A vet has shared an unpleasant side effect that can happen as a consequence of your dog wagging their tail.

Dogs, commonly known as “man’s best friend”, are a much coveted addition to many people’s lives, with their loyalty and affection very desirable traits.

Owners often believe they have an innate understanding of their pet, and can read all their body language signals and hints.

A wagging tail is a common image conjured up when thinking of a dog and it’s widely believed to signal a dog’s happiness but it actually offers insight into an array of complex emotions.

In some cases, dogs wag their tails quite aggressively and suffer from a painful consequence known as “happy tail” among vets – and one vet was keen to raise awareness about the affliction.

Many people turn to social media looking for answers and insights on a variety of issues, particularly when it comes to their beloved pets. Thankfully, there’s a host of professionals keen to share their expert opinion.

One such vet, Dr Lera, has garnered a loyal following on TikTok thanks to regular video uploads in which he shares his insight and tips on a range of issues affecting animals and their owners.

In one popular video, which has so far pulled in more than 315K views, he shared details on the damaging “happy tail” condition. Speaking directly to the camera, he explained: “Did you know there’s such a thing as ‘too happy’ of a dog?

“What’s a symptom? A bleeding tail. In veterinary medicine, we can see something called ‘happy tail’ and happy tail is where, what the dogs will do is, they’ll be wagging their tail so hard that they bang it up against a wall and they actually break the skin against it.”

At this point in the clip, the vet zoomed in on a patient with an injured tail. The footage shows a sore, red wound at the end of the dog’s tail.

Dr Lera continued: “So there’s a patient who went ahead and damaged her tail and, you can see, she’s pretty happy. Usually, we just go ahead and we do a bandage on the tail.

“Sometimes, we even put a syringe casing around the tip of the tail to keep it from being banged up against things and, even if it does get banged, it’s protected.”

He added: “This will take probably around seven to 14 days to heal, really important to keep the bandage dry.”

If you have any concerns about your dog’s tail, or any other issues, book an appointment with a veterinarian for personal, tailored care and advice.

What else does a wagging tail mean?

VCA Animal Hospitals states: “Tail wags are complicated and complex; not all tail wags are alike. The rate at which a tail moves contributes to the dog’s communication, as does the position of the tail while wagging.”

It adds: “Tail wags are often misinterpreted to mean that the dog is ‘friendly’ and wants to engage, when the dog may be trying their best to find a way to end the interaction.

“In some cases, this miscommunication ends with physical confrontations such as snaps or bites.”