YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post - Tiny pup, vet afraid to cut tail, now wants to wait till monday at 10 days old

Woogie Man · 08-13-2010, 10:51 PM

I had a pup that had its tail done at day 12. It was much the same situation as yours (very tiny pup) and I had the same reservations as you. My vet explained that the pup's development has more to do with it than how old it is. Some pups just take longer to get going and that has a lot to do with how the nerve endings etc. are developed. He absolutely will not dock a tail on one that hasn't plumped out yet.

Long story short....though this ran counter to everything I had heard before, I did get the tail done and the pup had no more distress than her littermates that were done earlier.

It's a personal decision on whether to have it done. Having gone through it, I appreciate my vet holding off on doing the docking as she was too delicate to have it done earlier. After discussing this with him, I now understand his criteria and know in advance whether he will do the docking or not. I think that day 3 is ideal for thriving pups and they probably feel more pain if you hold off on the docking, so for them I go ahead and get it done then. If I have any that are lagging behind, I bring them in and he looks them over and usually we're in agreement if there's one to hold off on. There have been a couple I've brought back and had done between days 5 and 7.

08-13-2010, 10:51 PM	#6
Woogie Man Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mississippi Posts: 2,564	I had a pup that had its tail done at day 12. It was much the same situation as yours (very tiny pup) and I had the same reservations as you. My vet explained that the pup's development has more to do with it than how old it is. Some pups just take longer to get going and that has a lot to do with how the nerve endings etc. are developed. He absolutely will not dock a tail on one that hasn't plumped out yet. Long story short....though this ran counter to everything I had heard before, I did get the tail done and the pup had no more distress than her littermates that were done earlier. It's a personal decision on whether to have it done. Having gone through it, I appreciate my vet holding off on doing the docking as she was too delicate to have it done earlier. After discussing this with him, I now understand his criteria and know in advance whether he will do the docking or not. I think that day 3 is ideal for thriving pups and they probably feel more pain if you hold off on the docking, so for them I go ahead and get it done then. If I have any that are lagging behind, I bring them in and he looks them over and usually we're in agreement if there's one to hold off on. There have been a couple I've brought back and had done between days 5 and 7. __________________ ORANGUTANS ARE DYING FOR THE SAKE OF CHEAP PALM OIL....AND YOU USE IT!!! http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/ani...m-oil-you.html Last edited by Woogie Man; 08-13-2010 at 10:55 PM.