Is your dog in Pain?

A question I get asked a lot is whether or not a dog is in pain.  It is common misconception that pain means a dog is yelping or crying out.  In fact the opposite is typically true.  Animals that are in pain usually are withdrawn and quiet.  The exception to this is if there has been some sort of acute trauma (like breaking a bone), then the dog usually will yelp when the painful area is touched or the animal attempts to use that area.   

I want to take a minute to specifically talk about limping.  Limping is a sign that your dog is in pain!  It is very common for clients to come in for a visit for limping and decline pain medications because, “They don’t seem like they are in pain.  When I touch the leg they don’t react.”  Why is your dog not using their limb correctly then?  The reason for the limp is because there is something painful on that limb.  Think about the last time you sprained your ankle.  If you were to touch the ankle would it make you scream, probably not, but does that mean your ankle is not painful? No. 

Another painful issue that is often overlooked is dental disease.  Dogs very rarely will stop eating because they have painful dental disease.  They will often start swallowing their food whole or chewing on one side of their mouth to avoid hitting painful spots.  I cannot tell you how many dentistries I have done on dogs where many teeth were removed and then at the 2 week follow up appointment owners say that their dogs are acting like puppies again.  They did not realize that part of the reason for the slowing down was because their dog was in chronic pain from their dental disease. 

Signs of pain in dogs:

• Limping

• Withdrawn, hiding

• Stretching, downward facing dog position (sign of abdominal pain) 

• Decreased appetite

• Restlessness

• Licking a specific area

• Aggressiveness or irritability

• Yelping 

Causes of pain in dogs:

• Sprain, Strains 

• Gastrointestinal pain- foreign bodies, pancreatitis, gastroenteritis

• Dental disease

• Bone injuries such as fractures

• Trauma such as being hit by a car, surgery

• Ear and skin infections

• Urinary tract infections- typically shown by frequent need to urinate

If there is any reason for you to think your dog is in pain, please have them evaluated by a veterinarian immediately.  There are main medications that we can use for pain that are very safe.