My dog has a back injury, weak legs, and poor coordination. How to help?

Please do not give him aspirin! It is not recommended to give it to dogs, as it causes internal bleeding and GI ulcers, and you should stop giving it to him now to prevent this from happening. The only safe pain medications for dogs are available by prescription from the vet. You will have to take him into the vet in order to get these medications. Paying for a vet UK: If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Carefree Credit online. http://www.carefreecredit.co.uk https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/vetcare http://www.easipetcare.com You can also give him glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate supplements. They provide the necessary nutrients for cartilage repair and function. Use of them helps relieve some of the symptoms of arthritis.

I always recommend against giving baby aspirin to dogs. It makes it more difficult to give them medication if we need to switch them. If Jack hurt his rear leg I do recommend a physical examination be performed on him at a vet. Dogs can have just a simple soft tissue injury but they can also have issues with their knee cap or even an Cruciate ligament rupture (like an ACL in a football player). Going to the veterinarian they can prescribe good anti-inflammatories that would not be able to be given if you gave the aspirin. They can also dispense good pain medication to help Jack. Until you can get him to a veterinarian I recommend strict rest and only leash walks to go outside to the bathroom and then back inside. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Jack feels better soon.

Poor Boss! Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. I would rest him for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Take him out to toilet on a lead only, and bring him right back in when he's done. If Boss is still limping in after this time period, then I would take him into the vet for an exam. Should the limping get worse and he progresses to non-weight bearing, don't wait the 48 hours and take Boss into the vet right away.

I would not recommend continuing with the aspirin, it can be dangerous for dogs. a bandage is probably not the solution either. if it is just a sprain then he should get better within a few days of complete rest (no stairs, no jumping and very short walks). if the problem persists then this is probably arthritis which is very common in large breeds. if this is the case you will have to take him to the vet in order to get treated as he will need dog specific medications for this condition.

No, do not give Chief baby aspirin. It causes GI bleeding and ulcers in dogs, and is not safe to give at all. It sounds like he could have some back pain or possibly hip pain. He needs to see a vet as soon as possible for this problem. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can treat it as well as prescribe safe pain medications for him. Please take him into the vet first thing tomorrow morning, and rest him until them. No running, jumping, or playing. Don't pick him up unless absolutely necessary. Take him out to toilet on a lead only and bring him right back in when he's done. Best of luck.

No ibuprofen is not safe to give to your dog. While aspirin had been used for pain relief many years ago now there are safer pain medications specifically for dogs. Aspirin can cause gastric ulcers and intestinal bleeding so I never recommend it. Your veterinarian should examine Hershey as she may have injured the ACL on the other leg. Over 70% of dogs who damage one ACL damage the other one within a few years. Hershey will need rest, no jumping, controlled leash walks and pain medication to get better without surgery. If there is a dog rehabilitation center near you they can give exercises for home care and can provide therapy usually including hydrotherapy. If the ligament is torn completely and the lameness not improving in a few weeks with rest, therapy and medication then Hershey may need surgery on the other knee too. Please talk with your veterinarian about prescribing a safe pain medication for Hershey. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Hershey.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. In the meantime you can go to Petco and use the Well and Good Buffered Aspirin to provide some pain relief. I do not recommend using this product long term but for short term use over the weekend, this should be absolutely fine. This could also be an injury further down the leg such as the stifle joint (ACL injury). Your vet will know what to do based on the physical examination. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.