Why does my older dog bite when I pick him up? Is he in pain?

Hello, The first thing that comes to my mind is chronic back, neck, or shoulder pain. Dogs with pain in these areas often hesitate to use stairs or jump on and off furniture. They may also want to lay around more and be generally less active. Pain in dogs can be similar to humans in that in can be caused by things like arthritis, disc disease, or a pinched nerve. It can also flare up and be worse at some times than at others, which may be why he vocalizes at some times and not at others. Anti-inflammatory drugs (a common one is carprofen) and nerve pain drugs (a common one is gabapentin) are commonly used to treat these conditions. I would recommend taking Gage into see a vet and be evaluated for chronic pain. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Besides this being behavioral, this could also be due to a medical issue such as a display of pain of some sort. I recommend that if this persists, you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for this possibility and treat him accordingly. This may require taking x-rays. Good luck and have a great day!

I am suspicious that he may be painful somewhere. Possibly spinal pain. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. If no pain is identified then you may want to discuss the possibility of anti anxiety medications and possibly a consultation with a veterinary behaviorist. These situations can take quite some time and training an sometimes different medications to find the right combination. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

It's hard to know where the problem is exactly and what is causing it, but Charlie is in pain, no doubt about it. i would recommend taking him to the vet ASAP, it could be a slipped disk in the spine, a trauma or an internal condition and as the pain sounds severe it is in my opinion quite urgent.

Yelping when being moved, especially being picked up, is often a sign of neck or spinal pain in middle-aged and older dogs. I think it's likely that the raised round spot isn't related, but I would make an appointment with your vet as soon as you can to get both checked out. Many small dogs suffer from disk problems in the spine, and will benefit from anti-inflammatory pain relievers and rest. The bump should also be checked to ensure it's not something serious, like a cancerous growth.

It may be because you are picking him up incorrectly or it could be due to an orthopedic issue. When you pick him up, place a hand behind his back legs on his rump and the other hand under his chest. He should not be picked up by the scruff or by a limb. Front limb pain may be due to elbow, shoulder or neck issues. Hind limb pain can be hips, knees or lower back. If the pain persists, have Chico examined and xrayed by your veterinarian to diagnose the cause.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Blue! Common causes of pain when small dogs are picked up are: neck and back pain for forelimb pain. If this is new and he is also jumping up less, shivering or tremoring and not using the stairs I would take him in to the Vet this week for an exam as that indicates pain. Other reasons for crying when picked up is arthritis or being scared or surprised. So try to go slowly and gently if he is otherwise acting normal. Good luck!