Is this the pup showing pain?

Our 7-y.o Aussie comes inside from going to the bathroom and tries to clean herself but after a few tries of leaning over, she gives up and lays down. this started 3-days ago. today, she tried and tried and gave up, then switched to her other side, and was able to clean herself. is this pain? Back pain? Hip pain? she seems fine, no symptoms, aside from this? no strenuous excercise and no disk/Frisby. Thank you so much!

Hello!  And yes, it could certainly be a sign of pain - spinal pain, e.g. arthritis, muscle pain or even abdominal (tummy) pain, or pain in the standing leg or hip, are all possibilities.  The skin should not be overlooked:  dogs bite in that area when under attack from fleas, which aren't always as obvious as you might think until they're present in very high numbers.  Discomfort connected to the anal glands or even worms may also be a possibility in that area.  Coming into season is a possibility, although you are probably familiar with this by now if she's still entire.  You don't mention green discharge from the vulva, but it's worth mentioning that that would be an emergency, particularly in an entire female dog but in neutered ones too.  Another reason for licking would just be a dog exhibiting normal grooming behaviour. but I'm not so sure that that would lead you to comment if you've already had her for nigh on seven years. Beyond speculation, the way to get facts is to have your girl examined.  A vet could examine the skin and also palpate the muscles and joints in such a way as to localize many potential sources of discomfort and prescribe treatment as appropriate. It sounds to be a good idea. Best of luck.

Ps.  I forgot to mention cystitis.  Licking for the female parts in particular can be a sign of cystitis.  There are probably other possibilities too.

Hello!   I am going to answer your question again, because my first attempt wasn't very clear.  (This is one of the perils of having no 'delete' function;  it keeps us accountable for what we say, but we can't erase and try again).       It sounds as though you're saying that your dog would normally clean the anus - it isn't that there is something different there, but rather that a few licks after passing faeces is normal for her, but she is unable to do this and keeps recurrently trying, due to being unable to bend round.  In this instance, muscle pain, skeletal pain, abdominal pain or even leg or hip pain (being unable to get purchase on the floor) are possibilities, as you suggest.  In a vet exam, they would palpate the joints and abdomen and hopefully come away with an idea of what is causing it.       My other idea is that it may not be the bottom itself she is trying to clean - perhaps the vulva (e.g. in the event of a pyometra etc), or a blocked anal gland, or skin disease (e.g. connected to fleas or worms) in this area, could also give the appearance of failing to clean the bottom properly.     A third possibility of course, if the bottom is actually being left dirty, could be that bending down to the bum has been difficult for a while, but that you've only just noticed due to e.g. a change in the quality of the faeces, which means that they actually need to be cleaned away at the moment, where normally their sticking wouldn't be an issue.  In this event, there may be two issues to consider;  whatever is happening to prevent the cleaning of that area (back pain, lack of flexibilities etc), and the sticky back end which could be caused by pyometra (vulva) or diarrhoea or anal gland disease (anus) or neurological laxity around the anus (where the anus doesn't close fully) amongst many possibilities.    I hope that this is clearer.  The take-home message, however, remains the same in any of these events;  that a full examination is needed in order to appreciate properly what is going on.   Best of luck and please do let us know what happens next.

There is no reason to be alarmed if your Aussies' movements are limited because it could be related to arthritis, common in dogs aged seven years old and above. Most likely, your vet will prescribe your [url="https://www.petsdrugmart.ca/Product/Metacam-Oral-Suspension-for-Dogs-3212252/3350"]dog Metacam[/url], a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug that helps control pain and inflammation. However, if your dog's current symptoms are accompanied by muscle weakness, disorientation, decreased appetite, fever, lethargy, seizures, difficulty breathing, or difficulty urinating or defecating, then immediately take your dog to the vet to check what's going on with them.