My dog is crying in pain when moving. What can I do until the vet opens?

Question

My dog seems to be in pain. She cries when she adjusts her position or when handled gently, and is more restless than usual. How do we identify what is wrong, and is there a way we can make her feel better? Our vet is closed today due to a blizzard, so I am wondering if this is urgent. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 8 years and 10 months old | 10.5 lbs

Dr. Davis · Accepted Answer

If there hasn’t been an injury and she’s urinating and defecating normally she may have neck or back pain. This can be from a bulging intervertebral disc. You can do some gentle massage to see if you can locate the area of pain. Massage will relax her muscles and relive the pain from muscle spasms. You can also use some heat over her back and neck. It’s ok to give aspirin for pain as long as she’s eating and drinking. It can cause stomach upset so I never give it unless they are eating. There is a section in this website that has information on common over the counter medications and the dosage. Please take her in tomorrow if she’s not better. They will be able to determine the source of her pain and treat her appropriately. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Flower.

My dog is crying in pain when moving. What can I do until the vet opens?

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