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My older dog cries when moving, keeps head down. Could it be his neck?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Cockapoo | Male | neutered | 22 lbs

Scruffy seems to have hurt himself as he cries and whinges a lot when he moves. He is still eating and drinking and going to the toilet without any issues, but goes up and down the stairs very carefully and slowly. He keeps his head down a lot, but can look up and still run when he wants to. I think it may be his neck, but he has a little limp sometimes (has been like this for a couple of days now). His age is unknown as he is a rescue, but he would definitely be over 8 years old.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

Published on May 13th, 2018

I'm so sorry that we are just now getting to your question. We are a little behind on answering questions. I agree with the symptoms you are describing that Scruffy's neck may be bothering him. We can see bulging discs that can cause pain anywhere along the back and neck. I would recommend having your veterinarian examine Scruffy to determine if his neck is painful and determine the best treatment for him. In the meantime, I would recommend keeping Scruffy quiet and not allow any running or jumping which might make his pain worse. If at any point Scruffy is unable to walk normally, it is a medical emergency and he needs to be seen by a veterinarian right away. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Scruffy feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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    Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 18th, 2018

    Hello, sorry to hear about Danny. Based on what you're saying, your dog may have pain from an injury to his spinal cord. These types of injuries are most often associated with a slipped disk, however, in older pets tumors can also cause pain. Finally, dogs may develop arthritis of their limbs which could cause them to also be painful and have a difficult time moving. Danny should be evaluated by his veterinarian so that it can be determined wether his pain is associated with a slipped disk, arthritis, or a tumor as these all have different recommendations and treatments. Monitor for any dragging of his limbs, worsening pain, or difficulties walking and have him evaluated if you note any of these. Hope this helps and best of luck.

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