Dog gagged after leash yank. Could his neck have long-term damage?

I am so sorry to hear that your pet is immobile and seemingly in a serious medical condition. Yes pulling on the leash too hard, can potentially cause damage to a pets vertebrae, especially if it was a quick yank or if the pet was running and then abruptly stopped mid run. The fact that he is yelping when attempting to get up is highly suspicious of a neck injury. I would recommend taking Jake to your local vet immediately! He needs to get some immediate pain control and x-rays of his neck (cervical) area to determine the extent of damage here. I do hope that Jakes injuries don't require extensive treatment moving forward. Best of luck and take care.

Cesar is adorable! I am so sorry he isn't feeling well today. When dogs run out and they get jerked on the leash they can definitely injure themselves. If he is having trouble breathing or his neck hurts I highly recommend having a veterinarian evaluate him. They can prescribe medication to help him feel much better. Vomiting shouldn't be caused by this. If he continues to vomit then I do recommend evaluation with a veterinarian, if not I wouldn't worry if it was just a one time occurrence. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there! It's hard to tell if you mean that one of his legs is hurt, or his neck? If it is one of his legs, and he is able to bear weight on it, then it is unlikely to be broken or dislocated. If it is his neck, then carefully icing the area (with a towel between the ice and his skin) would be helpful! If he seems really uncomfortable, or if you are worried, it never hurts to get him checked out at your local clinic. They will likely be able to prescribe some pain medication, and take some XRays if needed. Hope this helps!

I appreciate your concern and thoughtfulness regarding pulling on the leash, but this would have contributed to the seizures. Head trauma could, however damage to the spine would not. Since he is a "puller," it is wise to switch to a harness to protect his neck/spine/trachea moving forward, however its not going to affect his seizures. If he had symptoms related to spinal cord damage, I'd expect him to show pain, ataxia (walking drunk), or occasionally lifting up one front leg. If he shows any of those symptoms please have him evaluated. As for the seizures, follow your vet's instructions regarding any medications. thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

If the string came out very easily without having to pull hard, it may be OK. If you had to put a lot of tension when pulling it, there is a chance the string could have cut the esophagus. Watch closely for vomiting (especially with blood), gagging, difficulty swallowing or decreased appetite. Also watch for black, tarry stools. This is a sign of bleeding in the esophagus, stomach or small intestines. If any of these symptoms are seen, I would take her to a veterinarian immediately. They may want to do blood work, x-rays, or even use a scope to evaluate the esophagus for injuries.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Winston. Thank you also for providing a picture, its very helpful. I agree, it does look bad and I do think you should take him into a vet to get this checked out and treated. I'd take him into tonight if possible; otherwise, have him seen in the morning. I hope this helps!

It seems unlikely that is related to the choking incident two years ago unless there was severe damage causing scar tissue to accumulate. I recommend to get some sedated radiographs and to have his laryngeal area examined while he is sedated. While it may be nothing serious, having this examined is never a bed idea. Less common but still possible causing could include laryngeal parlysis or a tumor. Many times these diagnostics can be paired with something like a dental cleaning so that you are getting the full benefit of the sedation and checking multiple things off the list. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.