Tail docking

Question
  My Border Collie, Zoey, was hit by a car last year when she was just five months old. After breaking her pelvis in two places along with her tibia, she was put in a splint for six weeks. Although she was taken outside regularly to go to the bathroom, she could no longer squat down while in the splint. After the splint came off, Zoey returned to urinating normally by squating, however, she seems to be incontinent in terms of defecating, as she literally lets fecal matter fall out while she lays down outside or in the house. Because of this complication, we try to keep her hair clipped off her hips and around her genitals so feces do not stick to her, but it's hard to get the hair on the tail cut short enough. Since this area cannot be easily trimmed, and Zoey sits on her tail all the time, she is getting frequent urinary tract infections from the bacteria in her tail, that are often serious enough to make her need antibiotics from our vet. My mother had suggested getting her tail docked like an australian shepherd's, so it would eliminate the clumping and bacteria problem for Zoey. She is about a year and a half old now, and I know tail docking is commonly done at a very young age. Do you think this is a justifiable solution, and do you know if it can be done at her age without any serious risks?

Answer
Hi Nicole
Have you taken her to the vet to see if anything can be done for her bowel incontinence? That would be my very first suggestions. If it's just something she's going to have to live with. I would definitely consider docking her tail. It will be a more dangerous surgery and a more involved recovery process than if it had been done when she was little, but she should be fine. She will have to be put under general anesthesia and as with any kind of surgery there is some risk involved. However, since it's causing UTI's I think it likely worth the small risk and the discomfort following surgery.
Do take Zoey to the vet and have a consult with him regarding this situation,. maybe even two vet's to be sure you make the right decision.
Cindi