I wanted to share this story because when I was going through it, I spent hours researching and looking for stories like ours. I didn’t find nearly as much reassurance as I wish I had, so hopefully this helps someone facing something similar in the future.
My girl Cora, an 8½–9-year-old Staffordshire Terrier mix, was diagnosed with a mast cell tumor at the base of her tail in December 2025. About two weeks later, she had surgery to remove it, but tails are notoriously difficult areas for healing. Her incision was very aggressive-looking, then became necrotic and infected about a week later. It was honestly a really traumatic experience. Her tail looked like it was split in half.
Because of the tumor’s location, we were told tail amputation carried a high risk of permanent fecal incontinence because of how high up it was. When the necrosis wasn’t improving, we ultimately had to make the decision to amputate her tail to save her life. We switched to a specialist, and although it was expensive, I truly believe it made all the difference. If anyone is dealing with a tail mast cell tumor, I highly recommend seeing a specialist from the start. It would have saved us so much stress, worry, and money.
Before the amputation, Cora was miserable. She had completely lost her spark. But within an hour after surgery, she was like a different dog. Her personality came right back, and it was incredible to see. Her incision healed beautifully, and it was such a relief.
As for the fecal incontinence: she did struggle with it for about 1½–2 weeks after surgery, and we were convinced it would be permanent. Every day got a little better, though, and now she’s 99% back to normal. Occasionally she has a tiny issue while sleeping, but that’s it. During those first couple weeks, I was desperately searching for stories of dogs who improved over time because everyone kept telling me it would likely be permanent. I really wish I had seen someone share an outcome like hers.
All in all, our girl is happy, healthy, tailless, and tumor-free — a huge win. But don’t ask me to go through that again 😂