How long for dog neck pain to heal if he won't lower his head?

It can take a long time (2-4 weeks, in most cases) for symptoms to resolve completely with rest and medication. So as long as things are gradually improving, I would be patient and continue to follow your veterinarian's instructions :)

Unfortunately no efficient home remedies a part from complete rest are available. If you feed him try to lift up the bowl. I would strongly recommend a check up to determine the underlying cause of the pain/discomfort more specifically and treat appropriately.

Poor puppy!! It sounds like your dog is on all the correct medications. I would try to find a canine acupuncturist as it can help greatly in cases of wind up pain such as you are describing. Intractable pain is also a reason for surgical decompression of the spinal cord as well. Otherwise keep doing what you are doing. If your dog will allow you to hot pack his neck that can be helpful as well.

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.

That sounds like neck pain and it could be from disc disease or other causes. Rimadyl can help but a lot of dogs with neck pain need multimodal pain management. And, it can take time to resolve, especially if disc related. The length of time of pain management can be variable but often is required for weeks if not longer dependent on the case, cause, response to treatment, side effects, etc. At your dogs age you will need to be very careful with Rimadyl as it can be hard on the kidneys. Older dogs especially benefit from multimodal pain management to try to decrease drugs like Rimadyl dose and dosing frequency. Rest is key, ideally crate rest. For disc disease this is typically 4 to 8 weeks, but this is case dependent and is best guided by the vet who examines the patient. Anyway to have a vet come to the house to see if this helps with the vet anxiety? I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I am so sorry! If the dog is unconscious there is a good chance there has been fatal injuries and without medical attention nothing can be done. If you cannot take him to a vet, I would just keep him quiet and still. You can try to support him by syringe feeding him food and water to ensure he gets nutrition. Do not give him any human pain meds as most are toxic to dogs. You can ice the area for 10 minutes three times per day for a couple of days then use a warm compress if he is doing better. If there is an open wound you can put Neosporin on it twice a day and try not to let him scratch at it. Just know without medical attention he may pass away on his own if the injuries are severe. Without me seeing it, there isn't much I can advise. There isn't any good home remedies for severe neck or spinal injuries. I am sorry and I hope he starts to feel better!

Ouch, poor Harper! Unfortunately, there are no safe over the counter pain medications for dogs (including aspirin). Try to restrict Harper to a crate or a small room with no furniture for the next week or so to prevent further injury to her neck. Only take her on a harness for a short trip outside to eliminate, but avoid a neck collar. I understand your financial constraints, but Harper really should be examined by a vet to make sure she has not sustained more severe injuries to her neck that are causing neurologic deficits. Some SPCAs or rescues have low cost veterinary clinics available. Care Credit (carecredit.com) can provide a financing option for veterinary costs. There are some non-profit groups (redrover.org is one example) that will also provide financial assistance for veterinary care if costs are a concern. Best of luck and I hope that Harper is feeling better soon!