My dog suddenly yelps when I lift her tail. Is she in pain or injured?

If this has only been going on for a day or two, 'swimmer's tail' or 'limber tail' is a possibility. This is a swelling of the muscles at the base of the tail that can result in significant pain, and it can seem like the dog is unable to move it's tail. An injury would be less likely with no history of trauma. Spinal/lumbar pain is also possible. Anal gland inflammation could also cause some discomfort although it would be unusual to cause such extreme pain. Unfortunately I think a physical examination by a veterinarian would be necessary to diagnose the problem.

Your dog could have hip or back problems that make it painful to posture to defecate and would also make it hurt when her tail is manipulated. It could also be infected or inflamed anal glands. This condition is very painful and makes it difficult to defecate or even move. Without treatment, the gland may rupture, causing a open wound on your pet's rear that will require wound care and antibiotics as well as some pain relief. I recommend getting your pet seen by your vet. They will examine your pet, possibly do some x-rays and labwork and be able to give you a better idea of what is going on and how best to treat it.

There are many possible reasosn but anal gland discomfort and spinal pain are common reasons for this sort of occasional, darting pain. I would recommend getting her glands checked as well as a full physical exam for any obvious causes or signs of discomfort such as reduced muscle in the hind legs etc

I'm sorry to hear that Mayhem hasn't been feeling well. The signs that you describe - reluctance to use stairs, pain on manipulation of the tail, not pooping (likely due to pain while posturing/squatting), lethargy, and a decreased appetite - are all most suspicious for a sign of back pain. This could be a result of a soft tissue injury while playing, intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), fibrocartilaginous emboli (FCE), among others. Regardless of the cause, it sounds as though Mayhem is quite painful and would greatly benefit from an urgent trip to the vet for an exam and pain medications. Do not give any pain medications at home (including aspirin), and only give medications prescribed by his vet as most human pain medications are not safe for use in dogs. I hope that he feels better soon!

Poor Baby! It definitely sounds like she's painful somewhere. In my experience, the most common cause of yelping or yipping when touched or petted is back pain, often due to a herniated disc - this is a fairly common problem in dogs. She could also be painful due to some other injury to her legs or back. I would recommend having her examined by a vet as soon as you are able to - he/she can do a thorough exam to help localize the source of the pain, and may also do x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem.

Lola sounds ill, and it's quite concerning that she is squatting constantly to pee with nothing coming out. That can be a sign of bladder stones, and if these bladder stones are blocking her urethra, it is a medical emergency. A blocked urethra can lead to the bladder rupture. She could also be suffering from a UTI. Panting is a sign of pain in dogs, so if Lola is panting, I would believe that she is in pain. Based on her symptoms, it would be best if she was seen by a vet immediately. I would take her into an ER vet or find a vet on call to see her now.

This could indicate a fracture of her tail or dislocation as the tail has joints just like the rest of the body. It could also indicate an anal gland issue or even a problem with the lumbosacral joint. Do not give your dog in a human medication as it could be toxic to dogs. I recommend having your dog seen by her veterinarian or an emergency veterinarian as she may need x-rays to diagnose the problem as well as dog safe medication for pain. keep her quiet and restrict her activity until she can be seen by veterinarian and do not try to manipulate the site at all.