My dog cries when jumping or on stairs. Should I take him to the vet?

I'm sorry that Teddy is painful. There are many reasons he might be painful. If he is normally a very active little guy, he could have fallen or run into something to cause some kind of injury. He could have pain in his legs or his neck or back as spinal pain will also cause dogs to not want to be too active. Disk disease is a very common condition that can cause pain, although he is a little young for that. There could be an abscess or other type of infection starting to form. If he seems very painful now, I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian for an examination to determine where he is painful. They may recommend x-rays of the painful area to look for fractures or other type of injuries. You can also restrict his activity to a kennel so that he can rest. Please do not give him any over-the-counter human pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen or Tylenol as these can have serious side effects in animals.

Kalu is a large breed dog, and it is common for them to have joint issues such as [cranial cruciate ligament rupture](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/canine-cruciate-ligament-rupture/), meniscal damage in the knee, or degenerative diseases like [hip dysplasia](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/hip-dyspasia/). He could have also strained a ligament. I would take Kalu into the vet to diagnose what is causing the pain. In the meantime, I would not allow him to jump on the bed because it's painful, and I would restrict his activity until you know what is wrong. Don't let him run around, and leash walk him to toilet. You don't want to exacerbate an injury that is already present. Your vet can also prescribe pain meds to help make him more comfortable.

It sounds like Daddy injured himself jumping up on the bed. I recommend resting 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 he still appears painful after this time, then I would take him into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. He may also benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Hello and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Charlie sounds like he is having an issue that comes and goes. The most common causes of lameness in his back legs at his age are a ligament tear, knee cap luxation (moves out of its normal groove), followed by a foreign object stuck in his paw. It is also possible that he simply strained a hip muscle. No matter the case, he needs to be evaluated by a vet to determine exactly which. He may just need a little rest and anti-inflammatory therapy, but a sedated exam and radiographs may be needed to rule out significant disease that could need surgery to fix. Do not give anything over the counter for his discomfort as those medications can be quite harmful to Charlie. Keep him from running around and playing too hard until you can get him in to be evaluated by a veterinarian. While I'd recommend having him seen as soon as you can, his condition should be okay to wait for a day or two if you can't get into your vet right away. However, if his pain is unbearable, you may want to take him to an emergency vet tonight. Hope this helps, and I hope Charlie gets to feeling better soon!

Your dog needs veterinary care immediately. He could have a problem with the vertebrae in his back, a fracture or tendon injury to a leg, or severe abdominal pain. A full exam by a vet will help to zero in on the site of the problem, and then appropriate treatment can be given.

I agree that Bow seems to be in pain. Although the injury could be anywhere in his body, the big concern with his breed is an injury to the neck or spine. With their long bodies, Dachshunds are prone to back injuries. I recommend to have him seen by his veterinarian who will palate the neck, spine and legs to determine what area is injured. They will also try to determine if it is a soft tissue injury or related to the bones. Until you see the doctor, Bow must have strict exercise restriction. Do not allow him to do any more jumping, no running, no stairs, no walks and outside on a leash only. You must be cautious with a potential back issue as it can have serious consequences. I hope you find this helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions. I hope he starts feeling better quickly!

Best case scenario, Tizer has a soft tissue injury/muscle sprain for which activity restriction for a week and a dog safe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory such as Rimadyl (carprofen) usually resolves the issue. As a side note, never give a dog Tylenol (acetominophin) or Advil (ibuprofen) because they are toxic to dogs. A far worse scenario, and these usually present as non-weight bearing lameness in a hind leg, Tizer tore or partially tore a crucial ligament (a sedated exam +/- x-rays are usually required to diagnose this. Other less likely possibilities include a bulging intervertebral disc or bone fracture. If he’s still eating, drinking normally, able to pee and poop normally, able to walk without limping and only seems painful when when he gets up, you can either wait until tomorrow or go today and get him pain meds sooner. Good luck!