Toy Fox Terrier With Swollen Neck

Question
I have 7 year old toy fox terrier that I rescued last year. He has been doing very good up until the last few weeks. I have taken him to the vet since he started yelping in pain and holding up his front paw. The vet checked him over and said that he has a bad back and gave him a cortizone injection and sent him home with pred 5mg. He has been getting worse. He is now yelping atleast every hour in pain, he neck is swollen and he holds his down as though he has a heavy collar on. I have spoken to the vet numerous times and was told to put a warm moist cloth on him and the heating pad on top a few times a day and that should help him. The day after he got the cortizone shot he was up and happy, like his normal self. Now all his does is lay down. He is not eating or peeing anymore. What else should I do?

Answer
Brooke -

Have your pet seen by another veterinarian as soon as possible.  If he is not holding the neck up, he must be in a considerable amount of pain. If your vet does not recognize this, then it is important for you to find another medical professional that can help your pet.

It sounds as though your pup  will need radiographs of the neck in order to properly diagnose the problem.  A warm cloth is usually not sufficient to treat severe cervical (neck) problems.  If he is  refusing to move then it must be serious - find another veterinarian before the problem becomes more severe - leading to surgery.

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM