My dog can't stand up or move. Should I take him to the vet?

From the photo, Clyde’s anus looks irritated but the lighting may be off. It’s very concerning that he won’t stand up. It could indicate that he is in pain or that he had an injury to his back. This is unusual for a very active dog and I recommend to have him examined today. Most serious conditions have a better prognosis if they are diagnosed and treated early. If he is in pain, the veterinarian can provide medication to make him feel better. The irritated anus could be unrelated to the reason he will not stand up. Irritation can be related to allergies, anal gland problems or trauma. I recommend to play it safe and have him examined. I hope he starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

There can be a number of diseases that cause weakness and/or pain. The first thing that should be done is to figure out whether he is truly in so much pain that he can't stand, or if he has a neurologic problem (i.e., paralysis) that's making it difficult for him to move his legs, or if he has a disease (like something caused by a tick bite) that is making him anemic (low numbers of red blood cells) and making him weak. Your dog needs to be examined by a vet who is capable of differentiating all of these problems, and figuring out what the appropriate therapy is, because the treatment depends on determining exactly what the problem is.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Moo. I recommend that she sees an emergency veterinarian today. It doesn't sound like she is feeling well. Small breed dogs can be prone to neck and/or back pain which can be excruciating to them. These dogs will commonly cry when picked up. The veterinarian will examine her and try to determine the source of her pain. She may also need bloodwork and possibly x-rays. From there, treatment can be started. In the meantime, do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Poor guy. It sounds like Noddy has a serious issue affecting his neurological system or his musculoskeletal system. He needs to be seen right away by your nearest veterinarian for medications to help stabilize his condition. There unfortunately isn't anything you can give him at home for this type of condition, so it is best to take him in right away for bloodwork and potential x-rays to check for any signs of arthritis or degenerative joint disease that may explain his symptoms and offer a reasonable treatment plan to help him.

Poor pup! This sounds like a potentially serious problem, so I would recommend taking him to an emergency clinic today to be seen. He may have a neurologic problem of some kind, may have injured himself somehow, or may have ingested something toxic. The ER veterinarian can do a completely neurologic exam and may recommend blood work, x-rays, or other testing if needed to help figure out what's wrong. If you're not sure where to go, try calling your regular vet's office - their voicemail message should have contact information for your nearest ER or an on-call doctor for emergencies.

It could be that Tyson is in pain, and it sounds like he is quite painful if he cannot walk up or down stairs, and struggles to stand up and lay down. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic for dogs and can be fatal if given. Because this has come on so suddenly and he sounds like he's not doing well, I think he should see a vet now. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

Oh no. Poor guy. A broken pelvis, blood clot, spinal injury or broken leg can cause a pet to not be able to stand properly. These are all very serious conditions unfortunately. I would highly recommend taking Jackson in to your veterinarian right way for a through examination and diagnostic tests to find out the underlying problem for sure. Radiographs would be the first test to run on Jackson and bloodwork analysis would also be indicated to get an overall health assessment. I hope that your pet Jackson is able to make a full and speedy recovery and that the vet can implement treatment right away to address any underlying pain, infection or injury that has occured. All the best to you and him. Take care.