Tiny pup, vet afraid to cut tail, now wants to wait till monday at 10 days old
 

I really am not feeling good about this at all, the pups were born so tiny around 1.5oz and 1.75oz. The one died after day three and spending wake less hours to help this poor tiny pup. Now the second one was so tiny took it to the vet at day 5 and the vet looked in the crate and said where is the pup? In my hand, she said wow that is such a tiny pup. I told her how concerned I was having the tail done with such a fragile pup an she did agree we best wait, she says Monday which will make this pup at 10 days old. And he now weighs 3oz. I just do not still feel comfortable with this I think it is to late and to much pain at this point for the pup and would not want to lose him. Any thoughts on how many days is to long for the tails to be done.!!!:animal36

I don't have any info on how many days, but why don't you consider leaving the tail long. I got my Trixie from a breeder who decided to go the european way and left her tail undocked. It is beautiful!!! Unless you are planning to show her, if she is a pet, why not leave it on! :animal-pa

I am so considering it after reading articles on the pain the pup would go through even though he is tiny I am thinking on canceling the vet visit and sell him just like he is. I hope someone will still want him with out the old yorkie standards of chopping off tails for comedic purposes. I would be in pain myself if he died or something. I have spent many hours caring for this little one.:animal36

I love a yorkies long tail, there are provinces in Canada starting to make tail docking illegal, I'm very happy about that!

My female was tinnnny at birth and her owner chose not to dock her tail. I love her tail and wouldn't change it for the world :)

I say leave her tail! It's not worth the stress that it will cause.

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.

I agree, leave it long!

Aw my Poppy has a long tail and i LOVE it. Makes me so happy when i can see her little tail wagging when she is giving me puppy kisses :D hehe! I would say leave the tail long and dont put the pup under the stress. Good luck xx

I'm with the others in favor of leaving the tail long. It will be adorable. I love my morkie's full tails and often wish my Yorkie had full tail too; it is so expressive.

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If in doubt, why not just leave it? There are many who would love a Yorkie with long tail :) I think they are beautiful either way

I too vote leave it long. As long as she's a healthy happy pup you will find a loving home for her.

Another vote for the long tail! If I could, I'd tell you to sign me up to take your little boy. I love the full tail. Nubs like Kaji's are super cute too, but I prefer a long tail. :)

I would leave it, i love the full tails on my Biewers

I agree with everyone about leaving it natural. I personally don't think any dogs tails should be docked anymore. They may have had a purpose when the breeds were developed, now it's mostly cosmetic- which I just don't agree with. The Big Man gave them tails and that's how they were intended to be!

I would leave it also. I would love to one day own a baby with a long tail!

I don't mean to be contentious because one should always defer to their vet and vet's are pretty much our only option on the developing physiology of our babies. But, I've always been bothered by the scientific communities assumptions of what and what does not constitute pain. I remember years ago when it was assumed that newborn skinkids, that now go to specialized NICUs were believed to feel little pain because their nerves were underdeveloped, especially the preemies. They now know better and realize that by treating them that way they were hindering their recoveries. They understand that they feel pain, acutely, just as we grown ups do. I cannot imagine that we shouldn't at least think about applying the same standard to our best friends.

Thanks for the replys, Can I get him Akc registered with the tail not being done. At this point I only have one to sell better than none if something were to happen to him, everytime I look at him I just cant see putting him through this at this age and still so tiny but doing well and quite healthy. He would be the first tiny male yorkie I ever saw with a tail. Show me some pics of a small yorkie with a tail if u would someone has a pic out there.

I agree, I hate when I have to take any of them to the vet and have this done, I hear them screaming in shear pain, I do believe there is pain involved in this procedure. No human can say they do not feel pain because they are not the pup going through this.:animal36

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I heartily concure. The thinking about pain in neonates has changed drastically in my time in the NICU. Thankfully, we've made major changes in the way we care for the babies now. We now know that pain changes the brain.

It just seems unconscionable to me that we (society) puts so little thought in to docking tails. :( Why do we put animals through pain just to please our sense of aesthetics?

Thanks for telling your story, The vet did say 10-12 days being that he is so tiny for his age at 8 days he is now 3 oz. So gaining and nursing well, I really think I am just going to sell him cheaper and not register him, Its not like I would have gotten rich off one pup anyway and to me it is not about the money, Its the love for the pup. Glad your pup was okay. I think Im chickening out. LOL.:animal36

:)I say leave the tail!

I recently saw my first yorkie with a tail and it was beautiful. She carried it so high and proud! I took one look and wished like crazy my girls had their tails. Plus, it is one of the things I love the most about my Biewer. I love watching that little wag, wag, wag, when she is happy.

I don't think you can lose by leaving the tail!:)

Please post a pic of pups or dogs with tails. I have never seen a yorkie this way. But I do hope the USA changes its laws about docking tails and cropping ears, God made them this way, Why do humans have to change it. Once they put a law in affect no one will be able to tell the difference because they will all look the same with the long tails

I don't think you're chickening out, I think you're doing what's best for the little guy. :) Hugs!

Here's two pics I found online, and they are SO precious and adorable. I do believe that the only reason the tails were docked were so that they could be pulled out by their stumps when they were hunting rats in the coal mines. I don't think anyone on here has their Yorkies out working in the coal mines, so I dont' see why anyone continues to dock at all.:confused:

Yes I did read an article on hunting dogs and they say no one really does this any more so it should be banned, the article was from England but I think USA needs to wake up and change laws also. Oh those pics are the cutest, and to think we have a need to chop off their tails, I think they look adorable with their tails, thanks for the pic, now I know I am not doing this canceling the vet visit, We are keeping the tail.:aimeeyork

Trixie is AKC registered and she has her long tail....I believe the only drawback is that you cannot show your dogs with the long tail.....I paid full price for Trixie and would do so again in a heartbeat.....in fact, when I do get another yorkie, I will request that the tail be left intact. :animal-pa

high :animal-pa!

So he still can be registered and can still get full price?? I am not sure if that is possible in Mo but I will try it I suppose. These are pets only anyways. Want to see a pic of your dog.

Definately can be registered as long as both parents are full registration. I would register him and limit his registration and place him in a pet home. Not due to the tail, but to his size. Are both his parents screened for health issues? (OFA, BAT, CERF)?
Some not so ethical greeders out there love to get their hands on tiny boys to put in cages and stud to anything they have. Not the kind of life you would want for your little bundle I am sure but that happens all the time. Please be sure to screen owners and have them sign neuter agreements....;)

If he is registered I thoroughly screen people for that reason I do not wish any of my yorkies to be placed in a cage the rest of thier lives to simply breed and have no real love or life. I wait till the right person comes along. I will mark the box which makes him no longer a breeder dog. Just a pet.