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My dog is in severe pain and can't stand. How can I help him?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

my name is crystal i wanted to know what i can do to help my dog since he is in severe pain and is unable to stand up

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Christie Long, DVM

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on January 29th, 2017

There can be a number of diseases that cause weakness and/or pain. The first thing that should be done is to figure out whether he is truly in so much pain that he can't stand, or if he has a neurologic problem (i.e., paralysis) that's making it difficult for him to move his legs, or if he has a disease (like something caused by a tick bite) that is making him anemic (low numbers of red blood cells) and making him weak. Your dog needs to be examined by a vet who is capable of differentiating all of these problems, and figuring out what the appropriate therapy is, because the treatment depends on determining exactly what the problem is.

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