Dogs can suffer from neck pain, just like people. The causes are varied and range from simple muscle sprains to disc disease, meningitis, up to neurological disorders such as syringomyelia (MS). To treat neck pain in dogs, it is necessary to identify the cause of the symptoms, so it is important to get an accurate diagnosis. Take your furry friend to the vet as soon as you notice any signs of neck pain.
Steps
Method 1 of 7: Treating Neck Pain Caused by an Injury
Step 1. Examine the dog's injury
The dog is an animal that can suffer from whiplash and cervical sprains quite easily. Anything from hard braking in a car to improper head movement while playing, to running with other puppies could cause him neck pain.
Step 2. Schedule a check
Your vet will perform some tests and will likely ask you to undergo x-rays, CT scans, or MRIs to rule out any more serious medical conditions. It is important to eliminate the possibility of other ailments because many debilitating diseases and infections that cause neck pain require immediate medical attention. Even severe spinal trauma may require corrective surgery.
Step 3. Provide supportive treatment
If your dog is suffering from a neck sprain, your vet is likely to prescribe muscle relaxant and anti-inflammatory medications to relieve pain and facilitate movement. Allow your pet to rest for as long as he wants for it to recover.
Don't be tempted to give him a pain reliever intended for human consumption, unless specifically recommended by your vet
Method 2 of 7: Treating Neck Pain Caused by Lyme Disease
Step 1. Identify the symptoms of Lyme disease
It is a disease caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted to a host (in this case, a dog) through the bite of a tick. These parasites can thrive in different environments in North America and Europe. If the dog walks through a lawn or wooded area, it could be stung by a tick. Although "bull's-eye" skin rash is an easy symptom to detect in humans, it does not occur in animals and, consequently, its absence complicates the diagnosis of this disease in dogs. Among the most common symptoms are:
- Cervical pain;
- Muscle spasms
- Pain and sensitivity to touch;
- Lethargy
- Febrile symptoms.
Step 2. Administer antibiotics
Lyme disease cannot be cured without proper veterinary care. Your vet will be able to prescribe the antibiotics your dog needs to eradicate the disease and start feeling better. Some of the most commonly prescribed drugs are doxycycline, tetracycline, and amoxicillin.
You should probably take them every day for about a month. Your vet may recommend that you extend or shorten the duration of treatment. Follow her advice and ask for clarification if you are unsure of how or when to administer antibiotics
Step 3. Check your dog regularly for ticks
If it frequents wooded or grassy areas, you should check for ticks on the coat. To do this, please use the following information:
- Run your fingers along the dog's body. Reach places that are hard to see, such as the armpits, between the toes and behind the ears.
- Watch out for any lumps and bumps. Whenever you spot a bump, part the hair to better inspect the area. Use a magnifying glass if necessary. If you see a tiny dot with eight legs, it is very likely a tick.
Step 4. Remove ticks whenever you find one
It is important to act promptly, as ticks can transmit Lyme disease within 24 hours of first contact. To remove them without hurting the dog:
- Use a clean pair of tweezers to grab the parasite's head as close to the epidermis as possible. It is best to wear disposable gloves to reduce the likelihood of getting infections.
- Remove the tick from the skin without hesitation. If it breaks, be sure to remove any fragments it leaves behind, as these can also transmit Lyme disease.
Method 3 of 7: Treating Neck Pain Caused by Meningitis
Step 1. Identify the symptoms of meningitis
Meningitis is an infection (usually viral) that causes inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that line the brain and spinal cord. It can be transmitted to any breed of dog, but some inherit particular forms of meningitis, although it is not well known how and why. Among the breeds that contract this disease are the beagle, the Bernese mountain dog, the pug and the Maltese. The most common symptoms of canine meningitis include:
- Fever;
- Cervical pain;
- Stiff neck and cervical stiffness (difficulty in moving the head and neck);
- Weakness in the legs
- Loss of balance
- Convulsions.
Step 2. Administer medications
Meningitis cannot be cured without proper veterinary care. Usually the most common measures are to suppress the body's immune response by administering high doses of steroid drugs. Typically, prednisone is prescribed for canine meningitis, although your vet may indicate other medications, with or without prednisone.
Step 3. Look out for symptoms associated with relapses
It is rarely possible to completely cure canine meningitis, and although treatment options are able to reduce symptoms and improve the dog's quality of life immediately, relapses are quite common, if not fatal. Warn your vet about any recurrence in your dog.
Method 4 of 7: Treating Neck Pain Caused by Cervical Disc Disease
Step 1. Identify the symptoms of cervical disc disease
Also known as a herniated disc, it tends to occur in older dogs. Discs normally "pop out" in one of two ways: disc extrusion, where the nucleus pulposus exits the center of a vertebra and causes damage to the spine, or disc protrusion, where the fibrous ring around the vertebrae thickens, causing the spine to contract painfully. Typical symptoms include:
- Pain or tenderness in the neck
- Yelping or moaning
- Cervical stiffness;
- Difficulty or inability to lower the head to eat
- Difficulty walking
- Arched back;
- Head lowered;
- Incontinence;
- Paralysis.
Step 2. Get a diagnosis
The vet is the only person who can diagnose cervical disc disease. He will likely have the dog x-rayed the neck and spine to determine if an extrusion or a protrusion of the disc is causing the pain.
Step 3. Provide supportive treatment
Unless your vet recommends surgery to correct a herniated disc, the best way to treat cervical disc disease is to seek supportive medication.
- Try not to let him walk excessively. Use a dog harness when you need to go for a walk, instead of hooking the leash to the collar, as it may put additional pressure on the pet's neck.
- Give him any pain reliever or muscle relaxant prescribed by the vet.
Method 5 of 7: Treating Neck Pain Caused by Wobbler Syndrome
Step 1. Identify the symptoms of Wobbler's syndrome
It is a painful disease that occurs in many large dog breeds, such as the Doberman, Great Dane and Mastiff, and is caused by a herniated disc or bone deformity around the spine. The name Wobbler derives from the English term “wobbly”, meaning unstable, which describes the "wobbly" attitude in the gait of dogs affected by this disease. Typical symptoms of Wobbler's syndrome include:
- Weakness of the limbs;
- Difficulty standing or getting up after lying down
- Tendency to drag one or more legs (usually the hind legs; beware of worn or chipped nails and consider them as indicators of this problem)
- Loss of muscle mass that extends around the shoulders
- Partial or total paralysis of one or more limbs.
Step 2. Get a diagnosis
Your vet will most likely prescribe you to have your dog undergo an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI scan in order to diagnose if he has Wobbler syndrome. Based on the severity of the condition, they may recommend surgery.
Step 3. Provide supportive treatment
Unless the vet recommends surgery to correct the problem, the best thing to do is to provide the dog with the necessary comforts. Give him any medications prescribed to treat inflammation, swelling in the neck and spine. In addition, you will need to take steps to reduce his physical activity. When these animals have Wobbler's syndrome, some vets recommend packing them in a carrier so they can rest and restrict movement.
If your vet discovers that your pooch has Wobbler's syndrome, you will need to put a dog harness instead of a leash during your walks. Remember not to use the collar if you have been diagnosed with this disease
Step 4. Consider Physiotherapy
Some veterinary clinics offer hydrotherapy and acupuncture in the landscape of treatments intended for holistic rehabilitation. Consult your vet to find out which treatments are best suited to your dog.
Method 6 of 7: Treating Neck Pain Caused by Canine Distemper
Step 1. Identify the symptoms of distemper
Dogs are normally vaccinated against distemper, but when they are small and have not completed vaccinations, they can contract this debilitating infectious disease. Typical symptoms of distemper are:
- Fever;
- Lack of appetite;
- Secretions from the ocular and nasal mucous membranes;
- Cough, often accompanied by pneumonia;
- He retched;
- Diarrhea;
- Callosity on the legs and nose;
- Stained or decayed teeth
- Convulsions, twitching, tremor;
- Loss of balance
- Weakness in the limbs;
- Cervical pain;
- Muscle stiffness.
Step 2. Get a diagnosis
Your vet will ask you to have your dog tested for blood. He may also perform a PCR test (to check for virus RNA) and perhaps perform a lumbar puncture to check for any traces of antibodies to the distemper virus in the cerebrospinal fluid.
Step 3. Provide supportive treatment
Some vets argue that the only way for dogs to recover from distemper is to help the immune system fight the virus. Even if your pooch is recovering, your vet may recommend supportive treatment to relieve symptoms and promote healing.
- Antibiotics can be prescribed and given to treat secondary bacterial infections, such as pneumonia.
- Your vet may recommend that you use a bronchodilator to relieve your dog's breathing difficulties.
- If diarrhea persists, intravenous solutions can be given to prevent dehydration and nutrient deficiency.
Method 7 of 7: Making Your Dog's Life More Comfortable
Step 1. Apply a walking harness to the dog
If you have any type of neck pain, the collar can put excessive tension and discomfort on the neck and along the spine. The harness, on the other hand, can be a valid alternative, because it distributes pressure on the chest and allows the neck not to strain. Therefore, avoid using the collar and, if you can, leave it free in a fenced area of the garden instead of taking it for a walk on a leash.
Step 2. Use a heating pad
Heat therapy is useful for relieving minor cervical disorders, especially in dogs suffering from arthritis.
Follow the instructions in the pad packaging and apply heat at the appropriate times. Talk to the dog calmly, encourage him to lie down, and place the pad on his neck for 5-10 minutes at a time
Step 3. Facilitate access to food and water
If your dog is suffering from neck pain, he may have difficulty lowering his head to eat and drink from bowls if they are standing on the floor. Therefore, raise them to a height that allows them to eat and drink without having to bend over and bend over.
Step 4. Observe any changes in walking
When treating neck pain, it is important to pay attention to any deterioration in the dog's walking. Often this malaise indicates the onset of other health problems, so it is vital to identify and treat the cause rather than just the symptoms associated with the pain.
