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Expert: - 2/2/2010


Question
11 yr old Sckipperkee, approx 17 lbs.

Dog is not active, not eating, will not lay down. Holds his head down as if stiff. Doesn't show any exterior injury or pain in any specific location. Will yelp almost uncontrollably for a bit, other than that no barking as he normally would. Our vet has never determined in the past a problem with similar conditions but he has always recovered after a few days previously. He seemed a little better this morning but will be visiting the vet later today if not showing more positive health. Can anything like other animals or certain plants cause these kind of reactions? Thank you for any suggestions you might have.

Answer
This dog needs to have his spine xrayed. He sounds as if he has a very stiff spine and a lot of pain associated with it. This is the hallmark of a dog that barks like that.

At his age, he could very well have a spinal spondylosis or some sort of stenoses of the spine. I would ask your vet to evaluate his spine and his hips. Neck pain is a major issue with older dogs.

Another thing he could have is some central nervous system issues, which will make them hold their head off to one side or down.
Heart pain, heartworms, these can also cause pain in the chest that will cause yelping. Have his heart checked too.

I don't know what plants he could be eating so unless you tell me what kind of plants are around you I don't know about that. Some dogs get into the spray residues when a pest control place sprays and that will cause CNS issues also.

That is about all I can tell you Neal. I hope that he is okay. Please let me know what you find out.  

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

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PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

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I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

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