Why is my small dog not walking, sitting, or laying comfortably?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Annabel. Being a small breed dog and the signs you have described, I worry that she is experiencing back or neck pain. This is a common source of pain. The muscles lining the spine can spasm I response to inflammation within an intervertebral disk. In this case, she should see her veterinarian for a definitive diagnosis as well as prescription medications. While dogs can take aspirin, it is not as effective as other medications. It is hard on the gastrointestinal tract and can interfere with prescription drugs necessary for back pain. For these reasons, I would not give it. It is best for her to see her veterinarian today. In the meantime, keep her very quiet. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Brownie! Brownie could have hives from an allergic reaction or could have a skin infection. You could try 75 mg ( 3 tablets of 25mg) benadryl twice a day until your vet opens monday. I recommend you get him seen tomorrow at the latest. You may also want to try and take his temperature (place a digital thermometer in his butt until it beeps). Normal temperature in a dog is 99 to 102. If it is 103 or higher I would take him to a Vet today. Good luck!

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.

First of all, NEVER give a dog any human medications unless directed by a veterinarian. Aspirin is extremely irritation to the stomach and will cause gastric bleeding very easily in dogs. If the weather has gotten very cold where you are, this could be affecting his attitude. The change in food may have put him a little off balance even though he's not showing any apparent symptoms. I recommend getting him in to see your vet, just to make sure there isn't something underlying that is causing him to be lethargic and subdued. If it's enough of a change to concern you, it's worth getting your vet to check just to be on the safe side.

I'm sorry to hear Brownie is unwell. I am concerned that the pain medicine is causing a stomach upset making him feel nauseous and not want to eat. Many pain medicines can do this as a negative side effect. Stop giving medicine to him and take him back to your vet to discuss what to do. They may need to run a blood test and give him stomach protecting medicine.

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.

I assume you mean Bayer aspirin. Aspirin is not recommended for use in dogs and will cause stomach ulcers, and in overdose situations will cause kidney failure. I suspect he may be shaking because either he is in pain from the cause of the limp, or he may have an upset stomach from the aspirin. Offer a bland diet tonight (chicken and rice), and monitor him for vomiting. Offer small amounts of water frequently. Please try to take him to your vet as soon as you can tomorrow or the next day to thoroughly evaluate him. If he is becoming quite lethargic or is vomiting, please seek emergency care for him. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!