Swimmers tail in Sport Dogs or A tale of tails.
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever doing yard work for field training
You may be finishing up a hard training session or just about to call it a day on a late season duck hunt, then suddenly you notice that something is wrong with your retriever. They seem not be moving their tail or showing some signs of soreness in the tail base area.

If your hunting buddy’s tail seems to be painful or not moving like it should your dog may have developed a condition known as Limber Tail Syndrome, also known as “Swimmers Tail”, “Dead Tail”, “Cold Water Tail” or even “Broken Wag”.
Not to worry, this condition is fairly common is hunting retriever breeds and can occur at any age. It will usually resolves itself in a few days or weeks depending on the severity.

Sadly not much is known about this syndrome however it seems to appear in gun dogs after a hard workout or long swim in cold water. It is always best to consult a veterinarian to rule out the possibility of a fracture, torn muscles, tendons or ligaments. But usually a light dose of a gentle anti-inflammatory and a few days rest should get your hunting retriever’s tail moving again and get you back out in the field.