Maltese back pain: Tramadol not helping. Should I see another vet?

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 :)

There are a few more medications that can be given such as tramadol and gabapentin, both are prescription only, you can get them from your normal vet. the most important factor for good recovery is cage rest for at least two weeks, in most cases neither MRI nor surgery are needed.

As long as he is improving and signs are diminishing, continue to treat as directed by your veterinarian. If he stops improving, worsens or seems more painful then have him rechecked by your veterinarian. Elevate the water and food bowls. Restrict activity as much as possible and leash walk using a harness to alleviate cervical stress.

Poor Benito! When pets don't respond as well to anti-inflammaorties, I often try them on steroids (for 2-4 weeks), muscle relaxers and opioid pain medication. During this time, Benito should be crated at all times, allowed outside on a leash only to potty because you MUST make sure he is not moving around too much. You may also look into acupuncture or laser therapy which can also help significantly. Benito should be examined every 2 weeks until he is back to normal. The medications may need to be adjusted based upon his response. I hope this helps and that he feels better quickly.

Bloat with a gastric torsion would be rare in a small dog, like a Maltese. If he is still having problems then you should call your vet and have him rechecked. If he is having trouble moving around then your vet can check his back and neck and make sure he isn't having an issue with his spine. Your vet may need to run some blood-work to help diagnose the problem and/or repeat x-rays. He may need an anti-inflammatory and pain medications to make him more comfortable. Hope he feels better soon!

Poor Kawaii! Some dogs do unfortunately become stressed in the crate and struggle to get out, which can make things worse. I would recommend asking your veterinarian about getting a tranquilizer for him that you can use as needed, to help keep him calm for the next few weeks until he has recovered. This will help to keep him calm in the crate so that his back can heal.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I see this sort of thing quite commonly in small dogs and the question always is: is it stomach pain or back pain. These little guys can easily hurt their backs and so they tense their abdominal muscles. They also don’t want you to touch them for fear it might tweak their back even more. Because we don’t know yet, I’d refrain from giving anything tonight as we don’t want to interfere with whatever your vet decides to give tomorrow. Tramadol is a safe pain medication but it can slow the GI tract so let’s skip it for now. For tonight, just let Rigby rest alone. Best of luck to you and Rigby!