Why does my dog struggle to drink, head vibrate, and shriek?

He may have some spinal cord problems, especially with the cervical spinal cord, such as a slipped disk or arthritic changes that press on nerves and are painful. Ob is apparently very much in pain and therefore should be seen by a veterinarian tonight. The vet will do a thorough physical exam, palpate the spine to find where the pain is coming from, and also do a neurological exam and then x-rays. He will then discuss the exam findings with you and possible treatment. Your dog will get pain medicine and other medications as necessary. Dogs with pain often do not eat, and eating also may be painful as he has to chew, open his mouth and move the jaws. This may be more painful than lapping up water.

Based on the clinical signs and the pictures you have provided, I think a trigeminal neuropathy is a distinct possibility. I don't agree with the assessment of the x-rays that there is any cervical disk compression, but that also be due to the fact that I am not viewing the radiographs as they are meant to be viewed. I cannot unfortunately zoom in or alter the contrast of the images. The one thing that does not add up with the diagnosis would be the pain associated with the movement. Traditionally, we do not see any extensive pain with this condition. Other possible causes of the the symptoms you are seeing are some sort of dental disease, primary nerve tumor, or other neuropathy of the face / head.

Poor pup! It sounds like she may have a neurologic issue of some kind that is causing her to have trouble getting water into her mouth and swallowing. She could also have severe dental disease, or a wound or tumor inside her mouth causing the problem. I would recommend having her examined by a vet right away - he/she can do a thorough oral exam to check for any problems in her mouth, and also check her reflexes and neurologic function for any abnormalities.

It’s hard to know for sure without observing the behavior and being able to palpate his throat. I recommend to record the behavior and then make an appointment for an exam. There could be something stuck in his throat or a mass causing pain. Best of luck.

Poor baby. It sounds like he may have injured something. It is common for them to injure their back or neck and act this way. I would have your vet look st him today. Your vet will be able to localize the pain and give him the appropriate pain meds to help him feel better. If it is his lower back, you vet may also prescribe him a stool softener so it is easier for him to have a bowel movement. Your vet will also be able to do X-rays if needed. I do not recommend to give any human pain meds as most of these are toxic to dogs. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better soon!

I'm so sorry that we are just now getting to your question. We are a little behind on answering questions. I agree with the symptoms you are describing that Scruffy's neck may be bothering him. We can see bulging discs that can cause pain anywhere along the back and neck. I would recommend having your veterinarian examine Scruffy to determine if his neck is painful and determine the best treatment for him. In the meantime, I would recommend keeping Scruffy quiet and not allow any running or jumping which might make his pain worse. If at any point Scruffy is unable to walk normally, it is a medical emergency and he needs to be seen by a veterinarian right away. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Scruffy feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I'm sorry to hear that Mylo was attacked! It is concerning that he is not drinking, moving his head abnormally and bumping into objects. This could be occurring due to head trauma or neurologic deficits caused by the attack, and some of these signs can take a longer time to present if there is swelling in the brain. I do recommend taking Mylo back to the vet for another exam to reassess his neurologic function and cranial nerve responses. The vet may also need to give him fluids since he is not drinking and puppies are more susceptible to the effects of dehydration than adult dogs. I hope that he's on the mend soon!