Can my dog's leash pulling cause seizures or neck/spine damage?

I think you meant leash? Yes, gentle pulling on a leash while out for a walk is safe. It can take puppies several weeks to understand the purpose of a leash. If you puppies is coughing or snorting when pulling on the leash he may need to wear a harness instead of a collar. Obedience training will help you puppy understand to walk next to you instead of pulling on a leash. A leash should never be left on a puppy without you being on the other end - they can get easily tangled up and choke!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Seizures can result in lasting neurological damage, especially when the seizures are prolonged or severe. You can also have transient deficits in the post ictal (after -seizure) period that may resolve. You should bring your pet to a veterinarian for evaluation. Certainly seizures can be the result of a toxicity but, they may also be due to metabolic problems or primary neurologic issues. in addition, if he is having continual problems, there maybe treatment needed. I hope he is ok!

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.

Hello. I think I addressed your concerns about blood clots earlier. I have never heard of a dog dying from a brief pull on a choker chain like this. Dogs pull on their leashes & chains all the time, sometimes pretty hard with no ill effects. Unless there was some unknown injury or defect or problem, there in no way you could have caused Storm's death in this manner. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is rare that this can actually affect her longterm. This is just typical behavior for a dog that is wanting to pull on the leash. I would encourage you to try to avoid this behavior as much as possible. You can try to use a dog trainer who can help you with this. Best of luck!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Taino has seizures; these can be scary for both him and whoever sees them. The lighting is not a cause of seizures in dogs. Seizures can be caused by things within the head itself (tumor, stroke, infection or inflammation), or from other systemic causes such as liver disease, kidney disease, certain toxins, etc. When all of these possible causes have been ruled out by diagnostics (bloodwork, MRI, cerebrospinal fluid analysis), it may be determined that a dog has idiopathic epilepsy. I recommend keeping a log of Taino's seizures to note when exactly they happen, how long they last, what they look like, etc. Definitely keep your veterinarian updated whenever he has a seizure, because he may soon require treatment with anti-seizure medication if they become more frequent or severe. I hope this is helpful - best of luck with Taino!

Hi and thanks for your request. This is very difficult to determine without seeing your dog through a physical examination. To be on the safe I would recommend a check up at your local veterinarian as soon as you can.