My French Bulldog has neck pain and spasms. Can I massage or ice her?

Poor girl. It sounds like she has a bit of a muscle sprain in her neck. You can try a warm compress for 5 mins on the area to see if this can loosen things up a bit. An epsom salt warm water soak can also help some. If this does not seem to give her comfort where she can rest, then its best to take her to the vet for some prescription pain medication that is safe for dogs. I hope that your furry friend Bella feels better soon! Best wishes and take care.

The hips look ok (hip dysplasia is possible on the right hip joint, but the positioning isn't perfect, which is required for that diagnosis). She does have significant issues with the vertebrae in her thoracic spine. I cannot tell exactly what is going on from these x-rays (it is much easier to evaluate them in-person), but they are likely causing significant discomfort. Lulu may need pain medications for life. A second opinion from a veterinary orthopedic surgeon would be a good idea to see if there is a surgical option to provide pain relief.

Unfortunately there are no OTC muscle relaxers you can give Peanut. I recommend resting her for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Take her out to toilet on a leash, and bring her right back in when she's done. If she still appears painful after this time, then I would take her into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. She may also benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. You can keep applying the heat, but back off on the massage as that may be painful to her. Best of luck.

If there hasn’t been an injury and she’s urinating and defecating normally she may have neck or back pain. This can be from a bulging intervertebral disc. You can do some gentle massage to see if you can locate the area of pain. Massage will relax her muscles and relive the pain from muscle spasms. You can also use some heat over her back and neck. It’s ok to give aspirin for pain as long as she’s eating and drinking. It can cause stomach upset so I never give it unless they are eating. There is a section in this website that has information on common over the counter medications and the dosage. Please take her in tomorrow if she’s not better. They will be able to determine the source of her pain and treat her appropriately. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Flower.

Hello and welcome back. You can try massaging the leg and see if that helps. If the massaging helps then the spasms are more likely to be due to pain vs. behaviour. If the spasms go away after a massage then I wouldn't worry too much, but if the spasms keep coming back then I would have Coco into your vet. Best of luck with Coco.

These activities could aggravate a back lesions if you are causing your pet to move roughly or excessively. Always be gentle when manipulating, rubbing or washing pet's backs and necks. Hemivertebra are generally detected on radiographs so if you have concerns that your Frenchie has a problem, have some x-rays done. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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!