How do you tell if your dog has a neck injury? Find Out Here

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Causes of Neck and Back Pain in Dogs

Many conditions cause significant pain in the neck or back, a few of which are listed here.

Degenerative diseases

Cervical Intervertebral Disc Disease

  • The jelly-like inner part of the disc loses it softness, becomes dry, and herniates
  • Can suppress the spinal cord
  • Pekingese, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, Dachshund, and Beagle are predisposed to this condition, occurring as early as one to two years of age

    • Degenerative Lumbosacral Stenosis

  • Results in compression of the spinal cord and nerves
  • German Shepherds are especially prone and the age range for starting the disease is 3 to 7 years

    • Trauma

  • Injury can cause damage to tissue and the spinal cord
  • Onset can happen suddenly due to an accident like collision with a vehicle

    • Tumors

    Nephroblastoma

  • A rare tumour that occurs mostly in German Shepherds mainly, from age 5 months to 3 years
  • Causes paralysis is the legs
  • In addition, other tumors can appear as a result of metastatic spread of another cancer

    • Inflammatory disease

  • Polyarthritis causes neck pain and can be infectious or immune-mediated
  • Meningomyelitis can be related to a disease of the central nervous system or the spinal cord with Maltese, Chihuahua, and Yorkshire Terrier breeds most prone

    • Congenital malformations

  • Atlanto-axial subluxation refers to instability between vertebrae, specifically C1 and C2
  • Toy breeds, specifically Yorkshire Terriers, are predisposed

    • Unfortunately, your dog can not tell you where it hurts, and it can be difficult to determine the exact location when your dog has been injured and is in obvious pain. Your veterinarian may even have trouble determining the location. And because there are a number of causes for neck and back pain, zeroing in on the underlying cause may take some time.

    Because the causes for neck and back pain are so varied, the treatment is determined according to the nature of the disease and degree in which the spines tissues are involved. Depending on the veterinarians plan, your pet may need to be hospitalized. Treatments can often call for dog pain medication, surgery, or both.

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    Some possible treatments include anti-inflammatory agents, such as corticosteroids, antibiotics, and chemotherapy. Surgery, however, is required in the case of spinal trauma, paralysis, disc or vertebrae infection, and/or cancer located near the spinal cord.

    Your pet will require plenty of home care. Make certain you follow the veterinarians instructions as to medications and follow-up evaluations. Keep track of changes, watch for signs of improvement, and report them to the veterinarian. Avoid moving your pet and don’t let them exercise until it is approved by the veterinarian. Some animals recover well from neck and back pain; however, it’s a condition that can be very serious, even life-threatening.

    IVDD Symptoms – Neck Pain

    Unfortunately, your dog can not tell you where it hurts, and it can be difficult to determine the exact location when your dog has been injured and is in obvious pain. Your veterinarian may even have trouble determining the location. And because there are a number of causes for neck and back pain, zeroing in on the underlying cause may take some time.

    Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical exam on your dog, taking into account the background history of symptoms and any possible incidents that might have led to this condition. You will need to provide as much detail as possible regarding your dogs health history, the onset of the symptoms and what type of symptoms have been representing, and what might have been the cause of the injury. The doctor will perform baseline blood tests, including a chemical blood profile and a complete blood count, a urinalysis, and a spinal fluid analysis. Other diagnostic tests that may be used for conclusively identifying the origin of the back pain are computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and X-ray imaging of the abdominal and spinal areas. Other essential tests include a neurological exam, and a myelogram, whereby a radiopaque agent is injected into the subarachnoid space in the spine so that the spine and nerves of the spine are more clearly visible on an X-ray .

    Because the causes for neck and back pain are so varied, the treatment is determined according to the nature of the disease and degree in which the spines tissues are involved. Depending on the veterinarians plan, your pet may need to be hospitalized. Treatments can often call for dog pain medication, surgery, or both.

    Some possible treatments include anti-inflammatory agents, such as corticosteroids, antibiotics, and chemotherapy. Surgery, however, is required in the case of spinal trauma, paralysis, disc or vertebrae infection, and/or cancer located near the spinal cord.

    Your pet will require plenty of home care. Make certain you follow the veterinarians instructions as to medications and follow-up evaluations. Keep track of changes, watch for signs of improvement, and report them to the veterinarian. Avoid moving your pet and don’t let them exercise until it is approved by the veterinarian. Some animals recover well from neck and back pain; however, it’s a condition that can be very serious, even life-threatening.

    Get practical pet health tips, articles, and insights from our veterinary community delivered weekly to your inbox.