My senior dog's legs hurt after fetch. Why is she panting and shaking?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Noel. I do recommend that she sees a veterinarian today. She could be painful somewhere that was causing her to pant and pace. Neck and/or back pain are common in small breed dogs. If this is not the cause, nighttime anxiety can develop in older dogs. It is similar to the anxiety experienced by human Alzheimer's patients. It would be best to have her seen so you can both get some sleep to tonight. I hope this information helps!

What you're describing sounds like pain in Zoey. It could be due to a soft tissue/muscle injury or even a herniated disc in her spine. I recommend you keep her quiet and restrict her activity and if she does not improve take her to a veterinarian's office. Do not give any pain medication as human medication can be very toxic to dogs

I am so sorry to hear that Holly is going through so much. Often when I see a dog who is acting the way you describe I find that they are painful in the neck or the back. I worry that she may have a slipped disc that may be causing her pain and her instability. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. If there is an emergency veterinarian available tonight then at least she could get some pain medication and be more comfortable until you can see your regular veterinarian. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This behavior could be due to older age and brain senile problems but also shivering and lethargy could be caused by arthritic pain. A visit at your local vets is recommended as Carly will probably benefit from medications to treat chronic pain or from medications that help for dementia.

Sounds like Kaden has a pretty significant anxiety disorder. I suggest you speak to your vet about what treatments are available. Often times older dogs will change and start exhibiting behavior like this when their eyesight and/or hearing starts to get poor. That may be the problem. I don't know. You can refer this article for some options to help anxiety but it seems like the prescription medications work best. ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-natural-treatments-for-dog-anxiety/ ) The bump on the leg is hard to see but it looks like it may be a lick granuloma. He could be licking that area because the underlying bone is hurting him or it could be from the anxiety. ( https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/acral-lick-dermatitis/ )

Dogs do not go into menopause like humans do, so that will not be the cause of her symptoms. In senior dogs like Mia, arthritis is very common, and that would cause her back legs to shake. Dogs are quite good at hiding pain, so it could be that even though she is running with you and seems normal, it is painful to her, leading to the leg shaking and tongue hanging out. It could also be a sign of muscle weakness or simply a result of her aging. I would have Mia seen by a vet tomorrow. If she does have arthritis, the vet can prescribe some pain medications for her. Please do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given.

It sounds like she should be examined by a vet to determine the source of her pain. She could have neck or back pain, arthritis, abdominal pain, etc. and your vet should be able to localize the pain and decide the best way to treat. She may need an anti-inflammatory and your vet can prescribe. Do not use any human OTC pain relievers as they can be toxic to dogs.