Dog's tail healed from surgery, but still in pain. Is it neuralgia?

Hello. A properly done tail amputation should have healed in several weeks. This is probably a neurological response to the actual surgery, a type of phantom pain going on that is causing the cat to lick, groom & attack the area. The cat probably needs to be seen again, either to do a little more surgery & place her on a medication that will hopefully decrease the phantom pain sensation. Often a medication called Gabapentin is necessary. This should be completely healed by now. Please encourage your roommate to take his cat to the vet as soon as possible. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. This appears to be an old wound that is healing. This could have been secondary to a burn. Sometimes when heating devices / objects are used during surgery, these can cause a blister if left on too long. I would contact the veterinarian who did the surgery and ask him / her if any heating objects were used in this region. It looks as though it is healing well so I would just monitor it for now and if you notice any signs of infection (swelling, redness, pus, pain) I would have the veterinarian assess the area. As for the tail, I would recommend using a topical medication such as Zymox topical ointment to apply to the affected area 2-3 times per day until resolved. If there is no improvement, I would recommend having the tail assessed by the veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Even though Harley doesn't seem in pain, he could still have some pain. Dogs can be very good at hiding pain. He could be looking at his tail after running because there is pain coming from that area. I also had a dog who's tail I needed to amputate due to a tumor on her tail, and it took her some time to adjust. She was a golden retriever, so she had this long beautiful tail, and due to the location of her tumor, her tail needed to be removed completely. My girl did adjust after a few weeks to her new tailless body, and Harley should too as well. It does take time for the area to heal from the surgery, so I would keep watching him for now to see if he improves. If you do have concerns that he's painful, you can talk to your vet about pain medications. Please do not give Harley any human pain medications because many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given.

Yes this can be a side effect of the gabapentin, or tramadol if your dog is on that for pain. I would lower the dose by half and speak with your veterinarian about it to see if they want you to stay on the lower dose, stop the medication, or switch to another pain medication. As the healing progresses you shouldn’t need as much medication and hopefully you can discontinue it soon as these are unwanted side effects. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bode.

Hello, sorry to hear about Mia. Gabapentin and Tramadol could induce some sedation and lethargy. This may cause her changes in her bark. I suspect that her tail may not be perked up due to her back injury. Continue to rest her and give her the medications. As long as she is eating and walking ok, you may continue to monitor her at home. If she begins to be more painful, stops eating, or if she develops deficiencies in her gait (stumbling, dragging limbs, or unable to walk) then have her seen by her veterinarian immediately. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This would warrant a veterinary evaluation for further assessment and treatment. These types of traumatic lesions can result in a fracture of the tail which can be quite painful. Even when a fracture is not present, this tends to result in a lot of pain. They would be able to evaluate her and at the very least start medications for pain. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It depends on what it is exactly. if the sore appears to be red, inflamed, draining, or has discharge coming from it, I'd recommend holding off on the neosporin and seeing your veterinarian to have it fully evaluated. Lilly may need a prescription medication from her vet in order for it to properly heal.