Since we occasionally get posters on here who describe alarming situations with their dogs, for which they have not yet sought veterinary care, and because these posters often insist their dogs are "in NO pain," I thought it timely to have a thread that discusses the signs a dog in pain might display.
Dogs do not need to be screaming in extreme agony to tell us they are hurting, and below are some signs to take note of.
1. Panting. If your animal is panting at unusual times other than in the heat or after exercise, especially if they are panting excessively, they may be in pain.
2. Drooling. Unless you are holding a juicy steak in front of your dog, abnormal drooling should be noted as a sign of possible pain (and dental or GI issues).
3. Trembling/Shivering. Animals will often tremble or shiver when they are hurting. It is important to suss out whether they are trembling from a behavioral situation (assuming no one leaves their dog out in the cold, here) or if they are displaying symptoms of pain.
4. Change in demeanor. Withdrawal, lethargy, depression, aggression, irritability. Pretty self-explanatory. If a dog's normal personality and attitude either abruptly, or over a period of time, changes--it's a red flag and needs to be investigated medically. Particularly with older animals, sudden signs of irritability, snapping, etc can signal achiness and pain.
5. Change in activity level, can be subtle. This is where close observation of your pet's daily habits is important. If your normally over-the-top Frisbee dog seems okay, but when you think about it, hasn't sought out any play, exercise or interaction with you, something may be wrong. I had a recent example of this, with my agility girl suddenly declining some of her jumps, which she normally takes with superincredible enthusiasm. It turned out she had a back injury--and there were only VERY subtle signs of what turned out to be a fairly serious injury that is quite painful.
6. Change in posture/range of motion. If your dog is standing or sitting in odd positions that are not normal for them, be on the alert, and investigate. If you notice a change in ability to use any limb, a decrease in range of motion, or a look of being stiff, have them evaluated.
7. Change in bathroom habits. Again, fairly self-explanatory, but a reluctance to get up and go out for elimination, or odd postures when eliminating, or a big increase or decrease in bathroom habits, and this needs checked out. Can be pain-related.
8. Limping or odd gait. This is one that even most novices recognize, but sometimes the lameness can be subtle, so watch them carefully when they are exercising or participating in dog sports. Also, an occasional "hitch in the get-along" is not to be ignored. What can start out as mild and infrequent signs of lameness/pain can escalate, untreated, into far more serious problems. And just because a dog doesn't cry out in pain with a limp, does not mean it doesn't really hurt them.
9. Decrease in enjoyment/enthusiasm. This one is kind of interrelated with the change in demeanor and change in activity level, but I wanted to stress it again, because some drivey dogs may be so focused on pleasing their handlers that they continue on, looking fine to the casual eye, but can increasingly show less and less enjoyment of the work/sport, due to undiagnosed pain.
10. Vocalizing. This is one most everyone "gets." Hey my dog is crying out when he tries to walk, he must be hurting. Actually, many dogs, and Dobermans in particular, are quite stoic when it comes to pain, and for them to have reached the point of vocalizing, the pain is likely VERY serious, at that point.
11. Unexplained weight loss/difficulty maintaining weight. A dog in pain will not "thrive" as usual. If parasites and illness have been ruled out, and nutrition is appropriate, consider undiagnosed pain as a culprit if you cannot keep weight on a dog that normally holds their weight fine. Change in appetite and weight are often the first signs of pain in an animal.
12. Change in pack dynamics. If you have a multi-dog household and suddenly your other dogs are no longer deferring to a dog they normally do, are being overly solicitous of that dog, or they are not interacting as they normally do with him/her, or even picking on him/her, that can be a sign of trouble, pain, or illness.
13. Glassy eyes/vacant look. Sometimes, you can literally "see" the pain in an animal's eyes. Pay close attention, esp. if there are other warning signs, to how "bright" your dog's eyes and expression are. If it looks "wrong," then it probably is. Animals in pain will often have a sort of inward-focused "far-away" and glassy look to their eyes. Don't ignore this, get them in to be checked.
Disclaimer: I am neither a vet nor play one on the internet, and this is just based on my own experiences, reading, observation in working with dogs over the years--so I'm going to shoot Reddobes a PM and hope she has the time to review this--and TIA to her, as she so generously does share her time and knowledge on here. Any of our other great vets who want to chime in, that would be great, as well.
Also welcome are thoughts and observations from others as I'm sure I missed and forgot a few things.
Bottom line: If your dog is acting "off," please consider a medical issue, including possible pain, first and foremost, and get them appropriate evaluation and care. They deserve that from us, their guardians.
Dogs do not need to be screaming in extreme agony to tell us they are hurting, and below are some signs to take note of.
1. Panting. If your animal is panting at unusual times other than in the heat or after exercise, especially if they are panting excessively, they may be in pain.
2. Drooling. Unless you are holding a juicy steak in front of your dog, abnormal drooling should be noted as a sign of possible pain (and dental or GI issues).
3. Trembling/Shivering. Animals will often tremble or shiver when they are hurting. It is important to suss out whether they are trembling from a behavioral situation (assuming no one leaves their dog out in the cold, here) or if they are displaying symptoms of pain.
4. Change in demeanor. Withdrawal, lethargy, depression, aggression, irritability. Pretty self-explanatory. If a dog's normal personality and attitude either abruptly, or over a period of time, changes--it's a red flag and needs to be investigated medically. Particularly with older animals, sudden signs of irritability, snapping, etc can signal achiness and pain.
5. Change in activity level, can be subtle. This is where close observation of your pet's daily habits is important. If your normally over-the-top Frisbee dog seems okay, but when you think about it, hasn't sought out any play, exercise or interaction with you, something may be wrong. I had a recent example of this, with my agility girl suddenly declining some of her jumps, which she normally takes with superincredible enthusiasm. It turned out she had a back injury--and there were only VERY subtle signs of what turned out to be a fairly serious injury that is quite painful.
6. Change in posture/range of motion. If your dog is standing or sitting in odd positions that are not normal for them, be on the alert, and investigate. If you notice a change in ability to use any limb, a decrease in range of motion, or a look of being stiff, have them evaluated.
7. Change in bathroom habits. Again, fairly self-explanatory, but a reluctance to get up and go out for elimination, or odd postures when eliminating, or a big increase or decrease in bathroom habits, and this needs checked out. Can be pain-related.
8. Limping or odd gait. This is one that even most novices recognize, but sometimes the lameness can be subtle, so watch them carefully when they are exercising or participating in dog sports. Also, an occasional "hitch in the get-along" is not to be ignored. What can start out as mild and infrequent signs of lameness/pain can escalate, untreated, into far more serious problems. And just because a dog doesn't cry out in pain with a limp, does not mean it doesn't really hurt them.
9. Decrease in enjoyment/enthusiasm. This one is kind of interrelated with the change in demeanor and change in activity level, but I wanted to stress it again, because some drivey dogs may be so focused on pleasing their handlers that they continue on, looking fine to the casual eye, but can increasingly show less and less enjoyment of the work/sport, due to undiagnosed pain.
10. Vocalizing. This is one most everyone "gets." Hey my dog is crying out when he tries to walk, he must be hurting. Actually, many dogs, and Dobermans in particular, are quite stoic when it comes to pain, and for them to have reached the point of vocalizing, the pain is likely VERY serious, at that point.
11. Unexplained weight loss/difficulty maintaining weight. A dog in pain will not "thrive" as usual. If parasites and illness have been ruled out, and nutrition is appropriate, consider undiagnosed pain as a culprit if you cannot keep weight on a dog that normally holds their weight fine. Change in appetite and weight are often the first signs of pain in an animal.
12. Change in pack dynamics. If you have a multi-dog household and suddenly your other dogs are no longer deferring to a dog they normally do, are being overly solicitous of that dog, or they are not interacting as they normally do with him/her, or even picking on him/her, that can be a sign of trouble, pain, or illness.
13. Glassy eyes/vacant look. Sometimes, you can literally "see" the pain in an animal's eyes. Pay close attention, esp. if there are other warning signs, to how "bright" your dog's eyes and expression are. If it looks "wrong," then it probably is. Animals in pain will often have a sort of inward-focused "far-away" and glassy look to their eyes. Don't ignore this, get them in to be checked.
Disclaimer: I am neither a vet nor play one on the internet, and this is just based on my own experiences, reading, observation in working with dogs over the years--so I'm going to shoot Reddobes a PM and hope she has the time to review this--and TIA to her, as she so generously does share her time and knowledge on here. Any of our other great vets who want to chime in, that would be great, as well.
Also welcome are thoughts and observations from others as I'm sure I missed and forgot a few things.
Bottom line: If your dog is acting "off," please consider a medical issue, including possible pain, first and foremost, and get them appropriate evaluation and care. They deserve that from us, their guardians.