My dog suddenly can't lift his head and is whining. What's wrong?

It's very likely that this is a [painful condition](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-most-painful-conditions-in-dogs), as evidenced by the fact that he doesn't want to hold his head up. It could be due to a sprained muscle, a pinched nerve, or something more serious involving the vertebrae in the neck. Most of the time these situations do not resolve on their own, and I find that my patients need pain medications and potentially muscle relaxers, as well as strict cage rest for at least 2 weeks. In addition, you'll want your vet to do a thorough exam to rule out [Intervertebral Disc Disease](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/intervertebral-disc-disease/) (IVDD) that can occur if there is pressure being put on the spinal cord by a disk. Until you can get an appointment with your vet today or tomorrow, I would get [a harness](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-collars-leashes-and-harnesses/dog-harnesses) instead of a collar so as not to put any additional pressure on the area.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly neck or back pain. It could still be pain associated with a leg even if nothing seems wrong with them. I recommend that you have Chico evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics include radiographs. Treatment would be based on findings. At the very least they can prescribe pain control medications to make Chico feel better. In the meantime, reduce his activity as much as possible as that in itself can make a big difference. Good luck and have a good night!

Hello, sorry to hear about Kona. He may be having back or neck pain associated with a disk injury. If you think he is in severe pain then he should be seen immediately by a veterinarian to determine the source of his pain. However if you think he can hold until Monday then he may be able to see his veterinarian when they open up. In the interim, please keep him quiet, rested and exercise restricted. That is no jumping, running, playing, or going up/down stairs. Keep him low to the ground and in his kennel for the next 2-3 weeks. When picking him up, keep him in a horizontal position to decrease pressure on his back and neck. Hope this helps and best of luck.

This can be the result of a bulging intervertebral disc in his neck, which is a neurological problem. This can be serious problem as dogs can become very painful and sometimes paralyzed if the disc ruptures. I recommend a veterinary exam and medication to reduce the neck inflammation and they will also probably give muscle relaxers to improve the head and neck movement. They may also recommend X-rays. In the meantime you should not use a collar as pulling on the neck may make this worse. I recommend using a harness for walks. Placing a hot compress on the neck and giving Plato a gentle neck and shoulder massage may reduce the muscle spasms and improve the head and neck movement. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Plato.

it sounds like she either hurt one of her front legs (and by lowering her head it puts less weight and pressure on the affected leg) or she has a slipped disk injury (cervical slipped disks can affect the head and the limbs at once). If you can't take her to an emergency center or out of hours services let her rest and minimize her movement as much as you can until you can get her to your vet.

Hello. Thank you for using PetCoach. I'm sorry that Cheti is not feeling well. I suggest you take him to your vet for an examination. It sounds like he may have hurt his neck and/or back. Even if nothing seemed to have happened while outside he may have just turned his head wrong and pinched a nerve. The other thing that happens sometimes is that dogs start to get arthritis in their spine as they age and that may be acting up. Here is a link to an article about neck/back pain in dogs that may help you: https://www.petplace.com/article/dogs/pet-health/neck-and-back-pain-in-dogs/ There is really no way for me to diagnose him over the internet, however. That is why a vet exam is important. He is obviously in pain and at the very least your vet can prescribe some pain medications for him. Hope this helps. Best wishes and I hope Cheti will be back to his normal self soon!

If your dog is unable to lift his head there is something seriously wrong. At best he must be in a lot of discomfort from a soft tissue injury, and it could be something more sinister than that. I would take him to your vet asap.