My dog has scratches and won't get up. Is it a serious injury?

I am very concerned about your dog's condition and highly recommend a veterinary visit. There are a few general categories that fit with what your dog is showing at home. One would be weakness due to a nerve problem in the back end. This can happen if a disc has moved out of place in the spine and is pressing on the spinal cord. This can cause dogs to have trouble walking and placing their feet in an appropriate way. Some have the appearance of walking on their toes. Otherwise they are able to place weight on the back legs but stagger or sway when walking. This can be an emergency situation if the disc slips more into the spinal cord and causes paralysis. Another type of weakness that causes trouble getting up is if there is a lack of proper blood circulation. The lower level of blood in the body causes them to be lethargic due to the decreased oxygen circulating throughout the body. In an older dog, the most common cause of this is with a tumor or mass on the spleen that has ruptured. The spleen holds a large amount of blood and if it has a rupture, the blood leaks out into the abdomen. In addition to the lethargy, we often see pale gums and a pot belly appearance due to the pooling blood. An x-ray or ultrasound would help determine if this is occurring. These are the two most common reasons for such a dramatic change in her appearance. There is also the chance of her eating something she shouldn't. The best thing for her would be to have an exam as soon as you are able to determine what is causing her signs. The vet may recommend bloodwork or an x-ray. Unfortunately. older large breed dogs can lose nerve function in their back legs due to age changes. There is little we can do to help this aside from keeping them comfortable. Due to how sudden the signs showed up, this is less likely, as it is often a more gradual change.

It sounds like a neck pain, which could be a sign of muscle sprain, intervertebral disc disease or even meningitis (probably less likely in Rocko's case). Please, take your dog to your local vet to get him fully examined. Your vet may recommend neck x-ray to look for changes in his spine and a blood test to look for signs of inflammation.

Poor Boogie! I'm sorry to hear that this happened. How frightening for both of you! Since he isn't wanting to get up or move around this morning, I would definitely recommend taking him to the vet for an exam. He may just be sore, but internal injuries are always a possible concern after a dog fight, even if there were no outward marks. Your veterinarian can examine him to see if anything is seriously wrong, and may recommend x-rays or other testing if needed.

Poor Girl! Without seeing her, I cannot say whether or not it is serious, but I am definitely concerned. She could have gotten bit by something or broken a bone and be in a lot of pain, both of which could make her not want to eat. I would try to have her seen by your vet as soon as possible so they can determine what is wrong before she gets any worse. I worry if she got bit by something poisonous that it may be more difficult to treat later if she gets worse. Your vet will be able to do blood work and even x-rays if needed to help her feel better. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better really soon!

I'm very sorry to hear that! Unfortunately, this problem sounds quite serious. I can't tell what might be wrong without being able to examine him, but if he is in obvious pain and can't get up, he needs to be seen by an emergency vet immediately. He may be injured or very sick, or may have ingested something toxic. Regardless of the underlying cause, these symptoms suggest that he has a serious, life-threatening problem that needs immediate veterinary care. I would recommend taking him to your nearest emergency clinic right away for an exam and treatment - I'm afraid there is nothing at all you can do at home for a problem this severe.

He could have a torn the ligament in his knee, have back pain, or an arthritis flare up causing these symptoms assuming you didn’t see him get injured. I’m glad you’re taking him in soon. They will feel his hips, back and legs and may recommend x-rays. They will most likely put him on pain medication since he's probably not getting up due to discomfort. Many orthopedic problems can be managed with medications so hopefully with treatment he’ll recover quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care Cooper.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. The wound should heal, but be sure that he is not licking it as this will lead to an infection. He may need to wear an E-collar while he is healing. If the wound looks worse, becomes painful or develops a discharge, then he will need to see his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!