Q & A | Dog Not Wagging Tail

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What it Means When a Dog Does Not Wag its Tail

Q: Do Pug's wag their tail? My pug gets a little movement, so I am wondering if they can or do wag their tail. Owner: Terri, Pug: Jet Li

A: Hi Terri. First, we just have to say...what a great name you chose for your Pug dog! We love it! You bring up a very good question, regarding a Pug dog being able to wag its tail or not.

First of all, we do not know how old Jet Li is, however most dogs do not begin wagging their tail until they are about 7 weeks old.

If your Pug dog is still a puppy, under 7 weeks old, your dog should begin wagging the tail soon and there is nothing to worry about.

If your dog is much older than 7 weeks, we do suggest having your dog looked at. Tail wagging is a very important means of communication for a dog. Their tail serves other purposes as well, such as providing a dog with balance and helping them to swim. However, a dog uses their tail to express emotions and feelings. Therefore, if there is a medical problems that is preventing your Pug from doing this, it is important to find out what is wrong and see if the vet can correct it.

What can cause a dog to not be able to wag their tail? There are many reasons; the most common would be enlarged anal glands that need to be expressed (best done by a vet, especially if the glands have been engorged for a long time - surgery has to be performed sometimes if the fluid in the glands has been left too long and has turned hard) or an injury to the tail may have taken place.

There is also a condition called "limp tail", which means that the bone at the base has been injured in some way, causing it to hang and not able to be moved by the dog... in fact movement may cause pain. This is usually diagnosed by a veterinarian by taking x-rays. Anti-inflammatory meds, pain medication and bed rest often result in normal use after a while.

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