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Water rod in dogs: symptoms, treatment and prevention

Wasserrute beim Hund

As harmless as the term water rod, water rodentosis, or water bruising may sound at first, the disease is also painful for affected dogs. If you notice such symptoms in your four-legged friend, you should therefore take them seriously.


In the following paragraphs, we will explain how water rod occurs in dogs, how it is treated and what preventive measures can be helpful.

What is a water rod?

Known in veterinary medicine as coccygeal myopathy, water rodentosis is a neurological disease affecting the base of the tail in dogs. It is sometimes also called mutton tail or lamb's tail.


The extremely painful disease occurs primarily in dogs that have been subjected to intense physical exertion, such as swimming in cold water for long periods or otherwise exerting themselves in dog training or even hunting.

Causes of water rod in dogs

The exact cause of water stiffness in dogs has not yet been identified. Various theories are discussed as possible triggers. These include insufficient blood flow to the tail muscles and sprained tail vertebrae.


In addition, damage to the tail muscles and inflammation of the vertebrae caused by overloading may also be responsible for canine water boarding or water duck.

Can any dog develop water rod?

In principle, all dogs can be affected by water tail stiffness. However, it occurs more often in males than in females. In addition, the likelihood of water boarding is comparatively high in certain breeds.

Among others, the following dog breeds are particularly often affected by water rodentosis:

Symptoms of water dysentery in dogs

If your dog is currently suffering from water dysentery, it can be recognised quite easily by the posture of its tail. The first centimetres of the tail are stretched out straight, while the rest hangs down.


For your dog, a water rod is associated with severe pain, which is usually not only limited to the tail but also affects the rear part of the body.


As a result, your dog will try to sit down as little as possible or tilt their pelvis to the side, sitting like a puppy. Because of the pain, many dogs also try to avoid defecating and urinating.


Other symptoms that may indicate water rodentosis in your dog are refusal to eat, a noticeable deterioration of the general condition, and behavioural problems up to aggression.

Dogs with water rod need to go to the vet

If you notice that your dog is showing symptoms of water rodentosis and is suffering from pain, you should, of course, contact a vet immediately.


The veterinarian must first rule out other causes for the complaints, such as blocked anal glands or a broken tail vertebra. For this purpose, they will examine the dog's anal sacs and take x-rays.


As blood levels of the enzyme creatine kinase may be elevated in dogs with water boarding, diagnosis usually includes a corresponding blood test.

Treating water rod in dogs

The treatment of water rash or water duck in dogs consists of various measures. First of all, of course, the pain must be relieved with a suitable painkiller for dogs. Apart from that, the four-legged friend must, of course, take it easy.


In addition, heat treatments in the form of warm compresses or a red light lamp and massages can help counteract the discomfort associated with water rod.


In addition, physiotherapy for dogs with water boarding is a valuable part of therapy that helps to reduce the likelihood of recurrent problems, especially in repeatedly affected four-legged friends.

Forecast for dogs with water rod

Usually, canine waterboard can be treated well, and your four-legged friend should have no more complaints after about 14 days. However, it can occasionally happen that the dog's tail posture remains permanently conspicuous.


In addition, unfortunately, the reoccurrence of water bruising in recovered dogs is also within the realm of possibility.

Avoiding water dysentery in dogs

As an owner, you have a few options to reduce the likelihood of your dog getting water rash. For example, refrain from letting your four-legged friend swim in water with a very strong current and make sure that he does not jump directly into the cold water in summer without cooling down gradually.


It is also essential to prepare them slowly for the hunting or competition season for hunting dogs or other physically demanding animals. In this way, you can ensure that the muscles can build up and that there is no sudden overloading, leading to a water rash in your dog.


In addition, dry your dog's coat as soon as possible after swimming and when it is cold and wet, and make sure that the dog has a warm place to rest at home. Using a warm dog coat for walking in winter may also make sense, depending on the breed.


Symptome, Behandlung und Vorbeugung

If you are travelling with your dog, it is also essential that the transport box is large enough and that you take regular breaks during long journeys on the road. Doing this allows your four-legged friend to move around a bit, stimulating the circulation of the blood and can help reduce your dog's risk of water rash.

Water rod for dogs - our conclusion

As you can see, water rutting is extremely painful for affected dogs. Fortunately, despite limited knowledge of the exact cause, it is usually easy to treat.


With the proper measures, such as refraining from swimming in waters with strong currents and avoiding unnecessary physical exertion, you can also reduce your dog's risk of water rutting. This is especially important for susceptible breeds or dogs that have been affected by water rut in the past.


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Ribs can be felt beneath low fat cover, visible waist from above, visible elevation of the abdominal line in front of the pelvis from the side.

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