My heeler puppy has intermittent face and neck pain. What's wrong?

I would be very concerned about this level of pain and would recommend an exam by a veterinarian. It could be neurological, a disc problem, a strain in the bones or muscles of the neck or possibly an infection somewhere in that area. The vet may recommend x-rays to get a diagnosis. Please do not give any human pain medication as these can cause serious side effects in animals. It is best to get pain medication that has been prescribed by your veterinarian that is safe for dogs. I hope this helps and that Miky feels better soon!

Extreme pain localized in the cervical area is often related either to intervertebral disc injury or to a cervical nerve compression (which can give intermittent signs). An orthopaedic and neurological examination can easily and rapidly rule out these differentials. Congenital Atlanto axial subluxation can as well cause extreme pain so it would be to rule it out immediately. If the signs persist despite the treatment , I would recommend another check up, possibly from a different veterinary clinic.

Poor Baby! It sounds like he may be suffering from some neck pain. This could progress causing neurological problems if left untreated. I would have your vet take a look at him to localize the pain and to ensure nothing else is going on. Your vet will be able to do x-rays if needed. In the meantime, I would keep him confined and do not let him jump, run or play until you can get in to see your vet. I would not give him any human pain meds as most are toxic to dogs. I hope this helps.

Poor pup! If you don't see any direct injury or abnormality, it could be in her spin, neck or TMJ. Soft tissue injuries are also possible. Spinal and neck lesions are potentially serious. It sounds like Paris is in pain and I recommend to have her examined today. She will get medication to help her to feel better and the veterinarian will conduct a physical exam which may diagnose the cause of her pain. Other diagnostics may be needed as well. I hope she gets better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry that Beau isn't feeling well. Crying intermittently with no external injuries can be caused by a number of factors. If he is reluctant to walk or limping, then either a soft tissue injury in a joint/fracture/ or torn ligament is possible, however this you would expect to see some limping. Puppies can also get 'growing pains' and conditions of their joints, which affect all of their joints equally, so they are just reluctant to move. This can be incredibly painful and requires strong pain medication. The other common cause of crying out can be gastric pain. This can be caused by Beau getting into something he shouldn't have (bones, garbage, raw food, socks, underwear, etc) and his abdomen being very sorry. Usually with this you will see a reluctance to eat, possibly vomiting/diarrhea, and sometimes pain when you push on his abdomen. If this is the case I strongly suggest to stop the Deramaxx (hard on the gut, especially so young), and to have him re-checked by your vet and x-rays performed. An ultrasound may also be needed to make sure he doesn't have a peritonitis (infection in his abdominal cavity). He could also have a gastritis from worms, so making sure he is up to date on his worming is needed. A fever can also cause animals to feel unwell, so a full physical exam including his temperature is important. I would strongly suggest a re-visit with your vet, and they will likely need to do more tests, like an x-ray as mentioned, or if no answer is found there, or if Beau has a fever some bloodwork may be needed. Best of luck with Beau. I hope he feels better soon.

I recommend getting her checked by your vet right away. She could have a disc problem in her neck or upper back that is painful. Your vet will do an exam, labwork, and x-rays, and based on these results will be better able to tell you what is wrong with her and what the best treatment will be.

I am sorry to hear about your dog. I would definitely recommend a visit to your veterinarian. I would be concerned about a problem with a tooth such as infection or fracture, or a problem with an ear being painful, or possibly a problem with the jaw or the temporal mandibular junction (joint of the jaw). The vet should be able to look her over and hopefully localize where the problem is coming from. They may recommend an x-ray if they are afraid of a break, or an ear swab if it looks like the ear is involved. Another possibility could be neck pain which the vet can check for as well.