My dog is in pain after overexertion. What if my vet won't listen?

Thanks for using PetCoach! I'm sorry to hear about Xena. So if the position you describe (with the hurt leg extended) is when she is SITTING, I am most suspicious of a torn ACL. This is especially suspicious if she will walk on 3 legs but not the injured leg. Staffies between the ages of 1 and 5 are textbook for that particular injury. If it is when she is standing, that would be an odd way to carry herself and not typical of the usual injuries. (And I would see your vet). Finally, with this information, I cannot rule out a back injury or disk problem - more likely if she truly cannot stand, even if you help her up and put her back legs under her. You don't list Xena's age but as I mentioned before, if she is young, some sort of soft tissue injury is more likely. If she is older, an arthritis flare up or other problem may be more likely. Long story short, I recommend getting her in as soon as possible for evaluation and some safe pain medication. We as veterinarians have so many wonderful pain medications that are safe for long term or occasional use. As such, I would strongly recommend heading to your vet and NOT giving over the counter pain medication (it is not as effective and can interfere with what we would ideally prescribe). If you are unable/unwilling to go to the vet, probably the “least bad” choice would be aspirin. Be sure to use a product labeled for dogs and use the dosing on the bottle. See the link below for more information about the safe use of aspirin. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/aspirin/ Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Xena!

If the radiographs were not remarkable, the pain Hugo is experiencing is likely from soft tissue and / or nerve pain. True ligamentous or tendinous ruptures do not often occur in the forelimb in the dog, though it is possible. Advanced imaging or scoping would be needed to confirm a diagnosis. We tend to see these issues in the hind end most often particularly in larger breed dogs like GSDs. The best things you can do for Hugo right now are the following: -Most important thing: he needs to rest his leg; that means no going outside unless on a leash, and even with leash, only to do his business. Should limit use of the leg as much as possible over the next 5 to 7 days. This will be difficult with GSD puppy but it is needed. If your veterinarian did not discuss the possibility of using a small sedative over the course of the next week, you might bring it up should it become too difficult to keep Hugo down. -Give any prescribed medications from your veterinarian as directed. If you walked into my office, I would have prescribed an anti-inflammatory and some pain medication. Hopefully your vet did the same. If he did not and Hugo is still experiencing discomfort you should call and request meds. Hope this makes sense. Consult with me if you have further concerns.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Odin. It is common for dog to be more sore after x-rays are taken. The patient needs to be placed in specific positions for the x-rays to be diagnostic. For example, the rear.legs are pulled very straight to take an x-ray of the pelvis. This can make the dog more sore afterwards due to the underlying lameness. Hopefully your veterinarian has prescribed pain medications for him. I would give them as directed. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

I'm so sorry to hear about Kamie. It certainly sounds like she is in a lot of pain. I would recommend having your veterinarian examine her again. Sometimes we are not able to determine the full extent of their injuries right after an accident, but are able to make a better diagnosis after a day or 2. Your veterinarian may also need to prescribe or adjust her pain medication. I would not recommend giving her any over the counter pain medication without speaking with your veterinarian since some will increase the risk of bleeding and may interact with pain medication that your veterinarian may prescribe. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Kamie gets some pain relief soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, sorry to hear about Marley. It sounds like she could have pain from another source. Another potential cause for pain that you can speak with your veterinarian about is back or neck pain. These can have very subtle signs and typically present as reluctance to walk, use the stairs, or jump on furniture. Intermittent whimpering or yelping, especially when being carries. In severe cases, some dogs could begin to drag their limbs or carry their head low. If you note these, then Marley likely has some form of back/neck pain and truly may need anti-inflammatory medications. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi and thank you for reaching out to Pet Coach about Gaby. I am so sorry to hear that she got hurt. Since Gaby's pain level has not significantly improved on the medications she has at home I am just as concerned as you are. You did not mention the exact medications that she is on but I am wondering if an additional medication may help her. If Gaby had any sort of neck/back pain during her trauma, it may help her to add a muscle relaxant to her treatment regimen (methocarbamol/robaxin). You should give your veterinarian a call right away to see if this would be an appropriate addition to her current treatments. You mention trouble walking and this is concerning for either primary neurological or orthopedic problem related to her fall. Even though xrays did not reveal a fracture, there are many problems that may still not have shown up (herniated disc, pinched spinal nerve). Sometimes the pain from these types of falls is bad enough that these older dogs need to be in the hospital on IV pain control to get them feeling better. I would highly recommend to consult with your veterinarian and assess if Gaby's pain is bad enough to warrant treatment in the hospital or just possibly try an additional medication at this time. In the meantime please restrict her exercise and movement to a bare minimum so that she does not further injure herself. Best of luck to your sweet Gaby.

There is nothing OTC that can safely be given to your dog. Many OTC medications are toxic or can easily be overdosed. Additionally, our experts are legally prohibited from recommending medications in the absence of a physical exam and a VPCR (veterinarian-patient-client relationship). Restrict her activity for the rest of the night and tomorrow. A warm compress can be applied for 10-15 minutes. If the lameness persists or if she is extremely painful, have her physically examined by your veterinarian. Afterwards, an appropriate medication can be administered or dispensed. Never medicate a pet without the advice of your veterinarian.