Our lab Toby fell backwards once on steep, slippery tile and dislocated his tail. We had him swim in the pool to reduce swelling but it mostly got better on its own.

That's what I am hoping with happen with Clio. She seems mostly okay...I am just being a fretful owner.

I don't think you'd convince her to swim in a pool... Seriously, hope it turns out to be nothing.

After running a couple of errands, all I want to do is veg watching football and eating chips and dip. I know I will feel better if I do some yoga or stretching and then meditate while I have the house to myself, but knowing what will help and actually doing it, so very far apart.

I think you should do what you feel like, msbelle. God knows you've earned it.

but knowing what will help and actually doing it, so very far apart.

Man, so true. Maybe 5 minutes of yoga and/or meditation, or one minute, even, and then the rest of the day to veg? This is a deal I frequently try to make with myself, sometimes with success.

All day vegging with football and chips has benefits, I'm sure of it.

Sue, my sympathies. I know what it's like to worry about a critter who can't tell you what's wrong.

Msbelle, I think that watching football while eating chips seems meditative. Seriously, I think a brain-break and some self-pampering may be a good thing.

I am at least, not allowing myself to drink. I think water is best and am sticking to it.

Agreeing on the self-pampering, msbelle. Sometimes doing "nothing" is the best restorative.

Sue, our old Merlin cat yanked his tail out from under a moving car's tire. It was completely limp and lifeless. We called our vet, who said he could really do nothing. That we could try taping it at the base to support it, which we did. The tape stayed on for a few days, but when it got dirty we took it off and didn't replace it. It was funny watching him walk down the stairs, his tail draping along behind him like a bride's train. It took several months, but eventually we were calling him "Ol' Buttonhook" again.

I think it's worth calling the vet at least. The concern is swelling of the spinal cord and it pressing against the vertebrae, possibly damaging it. He might give a steroid shot to prevent swelling. Our Buttercup cat got caught above her hips in a descending garage door and immediately lost control of her hind end. We rushed her to the vet. He shot her up with steroids and we confined her for a day or two till she was walking, then kept her indoors for a week till she could jump up on furniture as normal and was ready to rip the door off the hinges herself to get outside. She never had another problem with the injury.

Short version? Call the vet. It may be something that will heal on its own, or it may need treatment to prevent pain and future trouble. And good luck!

Probably best emotionally.

I've given up on getting anything more householdy done. I have light in my closet. That'll have to suffice.