How do I know if my dog is suffering

Help Needed Is My Dog Suffering and What Should I Do?

While nearly all pets will experience transient sickness or injury at some point throughout their lifetime, chronic and severe conditions warrant a sober assessment of the balance between disease management and overall quality of life. Fortunately, you are not alone. Your dogs veterinarian can learn crucial information with a thorough workup to determine if your pet is likely to see an improvement in their condition or if suffering is likely to compound.

But first things first, how do we recognize suffering in our beloved dogs?

Recognizing Common Signs of Pain in Dogs

Signs of pain may be clear or quite subtle in dogs, and because we cant ask them how they're feeling, it can be difficult to know when they are experiencing pain. Common signs of pain may include:

• Anxiety or restless behavior
• Uncharacteristic ill temper
• Shaking or trembling
• Increased resting respiratory rate
• Crying or vocalizing

More subtle signs of pain may include:

• Decreased appetite
• Increased resting heart rate
• Disinterest in previously enjoyed activities
• Reluctance to move

In addition to the above signs, trust your intuition. If you notice slight changes in your dog's behavior, appearance, or routine have them evaluated by a veterinarian who can help determine the cause and possible treatments.

Recognizing Anxiety in Dogs

If you have ever experienced anxiety you know that it can cause significant suffering if left unaddressed. Anxiety in dogs may stem from several causes ranging from environmental stress to pain, or even cognitive decline. Some of the signs that can indicate anxiety overlap with signs of pain; if your pet is exhibiting these behaviors, it is important to have a licensed veterinarian assess your pet for a diagnosis and treatment plan.

Signs of anxiety in dogs may include:

• Pacing or restlessness
• Lip licking when not associated with food
• Appearing on high alert without cause
• Holding ears low and out away from the head
• Panting without being hot or needing water
• Tucked tail position
• Barking without a stimulus
• Avoiding social interactions
• Whining

As these behaviors may be appropriate in certain situations, it can be helpful to write down when you see them occur. Be sure to note as much information as possible about what is happening leading up to the behavior. Share this with your dogs veterinarian to help them identify patterns and potential causes. If possible, take videos of what youre seeing; this can be extremely helpful to the vet.

Other Signs of Suffering to Watch Out For

Incontinence

Incontinence is a frustrating reality for some dogs. Fecal incontinence is not as commonly seen as urinary incontinence and both have their own causes as well as potential treatments. However, in ongoing cases that are difficult to manage, the dog is at risk of suffering physically, mentally, and relationally as anxiety builds and the stress of the situation wears on the bond between human and beloved pet.

Lack of Mobility

Changes in range of motion and strength are natural with age and fortunately there are several medications, supplements and products that can aid our dogs in aging with grace. However in cases with a severe loss of mobility, secondary medical conditions often follow, as well as increased anxiety at not being able to move freely.

Respiratory Distress

If your dog is in respiratory distress (dyspnea) it is an emergency situation. Not only does dyspnea cause suffering, it can quickly lead to death. Signs of dyspnea include difficulty breathing, squeaky or harsh breath sounds, and bluish tinge to normally pink mucous membranes. Seek medical attention right away for your dog if they display these signs.

Excessive Licking

Cleanliness is a virtue, but overgrooming can be a sign of an undiagnosed problem. Depending on the location and other factors, excessive licking could indicate a range of concerns from allergies to incontinence or even nerve damage.

Illness or Injury

Unexplained weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, ocular changes, changes in your pets posture and the like are clear indicators that your dog needs to be evaluated by a veterinarian. These may be signs of transient disease or they may indicate your pet is suffering a more serious illness or injury.

Loss of Appetite

Finally, loss of appetite can indicate suffering. Many folks have believed that as long as a dog is eating, he or she must not be suffering, right? While a loss of appetite can certainly be a sign of suffering, hopefully you now see that there are many other indicators of distress that our canine companions may show before losing their appetite.

Life After Suffering?

If you believe your dog is suffering, the most important step is to determine if there is a viable path forward out of that suffering. Many times with early and appropriate intervention the problem can be corrected or managed to alleviate distress. As your dogs advocate, you and their veterinarian can work together to determine if treatment is possible and whether the situation is likely to be transient or chronic, mild or severe, and static or progressive.

If your dog is in the unfortunate category of being diagnosed with a chronic progressive condition it can be helpful to become familiar with a quality of life assessment tool. Such tools consider factors like your dog's mobility, appetite, pain, happiness and can generate a numeric score representing their overall quality of life in an objective manner. These assessments can be very powerful when repeatedly taken at regular intervals to monitor for changes or trends.

The Compassionate Choice for Your Beloved Family Pet

Even when it is clear that there is no path forward and that the next right thing is humane euthanasia, the finality of the decision and the emotional toll weighs heavily on all who are involved. Its no wonder that the struggle is exponentially difficult when a beloved dog is experiencing a slow but steady decline. Whenever the time is right, an in-home euthanasia veterinarian can help you alleviate your dogs suffering in the comfort and privacy of your home.

About

Dr. Karen Whala has always had a soft spot for the older pets shes treated in practice and saw a need for these beloved pets to pass peacefully at home rather than in a clinic setting. To that end, she started Peaceful Passing in 2018 to help families assist their terminally ill, injured, or suffering pets as they transitioned from life in the Fresno and Clovis areas. Read More

How To Tell If a Dog Is in Pain and What You Can Do To Help

No pet parent wants their dog to be in pain. But because they instinctively try to hide their pain and they cant tell us when they are hurting, its up to us to recognize the subtle signs and to get them the help they need.

Many behaviors and physical changes can indicate that a dog is in pain. Learn how to recognize the signs of pain in dogs, what causes it, what you can do to help, and how to discuss your concerns with your vet.

Signs a Dog Is in Pain

Dogs feel pain just like humans do, but they dont always show it in the same ways. A dogs pain can become evident through physical symptoms, behavioral changes, and/or mobility issues. These might be subtle, so stay vigilant and never be afraid to ask your vet about anything that might signal that your dog is in pain.

Physical Symptoms

When a dog is experiencing pain, you might notice subtle physical signs or changes in how they carry their body. Here are a few physical signs of pain in dogs:

Behavioral Changes

A dog in pain tends to behave differently than whats usual for them. Just like us, dogs tend to be crankier when they are experiencing pain. Here are a few behavioral signs that might indicate that your pet is experiencing pain:

Mobility Issues

If a dog has sustained an injury or is dealing with arthritis, you may notice changes in their mobility. Here are common signs of pain in dogs that affect how they get around:

Some of these signs of pain can be seen with serious medical or behavioral problems, so always discuss changes in behavior or normal activity with your veterinarian.

What Causes Pain in Dogs?

There are two types of pain: acute andchronic. Something that just happened, like an injury or illness, causes acute pain. Things that have been going on longer, likearthritisordental disease, cause chronic pain.

Anything that damages cells or creates inflammation can cause pain in dogs including:

How to Help a Dog Thats in Pain

If you think your dog is suffering, know that there are a lot of different things you can do to help them start to feel better. Here are some steps you can take to help your dog cope with pain and work towards relief.

Make an Appointment With Your Veterinarian

First, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to figure out what the problem is. If your dog is in severe pain or has other scary symptoms, get them to a veterinarian immediately.

Your veterinarian will need to perform a physical exam and run some diagnostic tests. To pinpoint the problem, your vet may need to do X-rays, blood tests, or an ultrasound.

Stop or Modify Physical Activities With Your Pet

If your pet is only showing signs of pain during an activity, avoid it until you can talk to your veterinarian.

Your veterinarian will be able to help you figure out how to best help your pet, whether it is stopping that activity altogether or establishing modifications that will minimize pain.

Simple pain-reducing modifications to common activities can include:

For some instances of acute pain, these changes might be temporary, but for some chronic pain conditions, they may be long-term, or at least until other treatments have a chance to take full effect.

Keep a Record of the Signs Youre Seeing

Weve all been through the scenario where we see certain signs at home, but by the time we get to the vet, everything looks fine.

Thats why it can be helpful to take pictures or a video of your pet when they are showing signs of pain or discomfort, which theyre more likely to do at home than when they are stressed out at the veterinary clinic. Write down when they occur and what your pet was doing at the time.

This helps your vet understand the scenarios in which your dog is experiencing pain as well as the types of symptoms and signs of pain they are displaying.

Having video and pictures of your dog can also help your veterinarian to make the proper modifications to your routine and recommend other treatment options to help minimize the pain.

Explore All of the Treatment Options

There are many veterinary treatments that can eliminate or reduce both acute and chronic pain. Talk with your veterinarian to understand what your dogs treatment options are.

The most common treatments for pain include:

• Surgery

• Physical rehabilitation

• Laser therapy

• Acupuncture

• Chiropractic treatment

Ask Questions and Dont Be Afraid to Get a Second Opinion

Here are some questions you might ask your vet:

• How will you manage my pets pain before, during, and after surgery?

• How will a specific treatment help their pain?

• Can a supplement help reduce pain?

• What modifications can I make at home to help them?

You can also always contact another general practitioner vet; integrative vet; veterinary pain practitioner; or veterinary specialists like a behaviorist, surgeon, oncologist, or neurologist for a second opinion and additional treatment options.

Be Your Dogs Advocate

Your dog depends on you to be her voice to get her the help she needs.

So if you think your dog is showing any signs of pain, including any changes in routine, preferences, and behaviors, set up an appointment with your vet as soon as you can.

Even if the signs resolve, youll want to keep the appointment to be sure whatever was causing the pain does not become a long-term problem.

If your pet is injured, ill, or showing multiple or severe signs of pain, dont hesitate to take them to an emergency vet clinic to get their pain treated as soon as possible.

You are your dogs best health advocate.

Featured Image: iStock.com/xijian

Is Your Dog in Pain? Signs and Symptoms of Pain

Having lived around humans for thousands of years,dogs are masters at reading our emotionsand body language. But we dont always return the favor, especially when it comes to noticing that our dogs are in pain. And make no mistake, dogsdofeel pain. They just dont always show it the way we do. Pain and discomfort can severely impact your dogs quality of life, so its important to learn how to read the signs and intervene when your dog is suffering.

Do Some Dogs Feel Pain More Than Others?

Some dogs are incredibly stoic while others might whimper and whine at the first sign of the nail trimmer. It all depends on their personality. And maybe their breed.Research on pain tolerance between breedsshowed that there are differences, at least as far as the perception of veterinarians and the public goes. For instance,Labrador Retrievers,Mastiffs, andAmerican Staffordshire Terrierswere rated to have very low sensitivity to pain whileWhippets,Maltese, andChihuahuaswere considered to have high sensitivity. Although there isnt yet any physiological basis for these perceived differences, it makes sense as different breeds were developed for different purposes. For example, a Mastiff with high pain sensitivity wouldnt have been terribly effective as a big-game hunter or war dog, two jobs they were historically used for.

How to Know If Your Dog Is in Pain

Whether your dog is stoic or gives Broadway-worthy dramatics, how can you be sure when theyre experiencing pain? You might expect your dog to solicit help from you when they arent feeling well. After all, they have no problem asking for awalkortreat. As useful as that would be, it just doesnt work like that. Most dogs downplay their pain. After all, it makes a wild animal vulnerable to aggression or predation if they show signs of weakness, and dogs have inherited that instinct. You need to watch for subtle signals, which means truly knowing your dogs baseline behavior and activity levels. The signs of pain might be physical, behavioral, or a combination, so be alert to anything out of the ordinary.

Physical Signs of Pain in Dogs

Physical signs of pain in dogs can be obvious, likelimping, or more subtle, like simply not going as far as usual on your daily walks. Some of the physical signs your dog is in pain include:

• Mobility issues. Your dog might limp, walk slower than normal, or even refuse to walk at all. Or they might become reluctant to use the stairs or jump on and off furniture or into and out of the car.
• Difficulty changing position. It might hurt your dog tolie downor get up again. You might notice them frequently shifting positions as they try to get comfortable.
• Shakingor trembling.
• Abnormal posture. Your dog might have a hard time standing or sitting in their usual way. For example, they might hold their head low, arch their back, or shift their weight forward or back to take pressure off sore joints.
• Pantingexcessively, even when resting.
• Changes in facial expression. Your dogs face might look less relaxed, or they might grimace or have a blank expression. Your dog also might look drowsy with half-closed eyes which can be from the pain interfering with your dogs ability to sleep.
• Decreased appetite. Your dog might eat and drink less or even go off their food.

Behavioral Signs of Pain in Dogs

Just as with people, pain can make dogs cranky, so watch for changes in your dogs behavior. Learn toread your dogs body language, so you can spotsigns of stressassociated with pain. For example, your dog might pull back their ears or look away when you try to pet a painful area. Or they might tuck their tail, lick their lips, oryawnwhen you pull out the leash. All of which indicateyour dog feels anxiousabout the experience. Other behaviors to watch for include:

• Lowered energy levels. Your dog might not want to play orexercisefor as long as they used to.
• Restless behavior or pacing. This can be because your dog cant settle comfortably.
• Changes in sleep. Your dog may be unable to sleep as long as usual due to discomfort, or they might sleep even more to escape the pain.
• Lack of interest in toys or games.
• Disinterest in physical contact. Your dog might flinch when you reach out to touch them or hide atgrooming time.
• Licking or biting themselves. Dogs can become fixated on painful body parts and may lick or chew them until they have created a bare patch in their fur or injured their skin.
• Depressionor anxiety. Your dog might withdraw from activities they used to enjoy or seem quieter than usual.
• Housetraining accidents. If your dog finds it painful to get up or walk, they might avoid going outside for the bathroom. Holding it like this can lead to accidents in the house.
• Aggression. Any new sign of aggression could be a result of pain. Discomfort can lead to irritability making it harder for your dog to put up withhandling,brushing, petting, etc.
• Seeking more attention than usual. Your dog might solicit affection as it provides comfort from the pain and stress of the situation.

Vocalizations Dogs Make When Theyre in Pain

Dogs also communicate pain withvocalizations. Watch for groaning or grunting when your dog moves, particularly when lying down or getting up. They might also yelp when you touch a tender spot on their body.Whiningand whimpering are sounds of distress. You might also hear yourdog howlingmore than usual. And finally, watch forgrowlingwhen people or other pets approach your dog. That could be your dogs way of preventing any interactions they anticipate might be painful.

What to Do If Your Dog Is in Pain

When you see signs of pain in your dog, the first thing to determine is whether the situation is critical. This is usually obvious as the signs are more severe or seem to come out of the blue. Pain with sudden onset, also known as acute pain, can result from injury, like a broken bone or strained muscle, or illness, like anear infection. Dont take a wait and see approach. Your dog is suffering, and the situation could be more serious than it looks. Part of being aresponsible dog owneris taking your pet to an emergency veterinary clinic as soon as possible so treatment and pain relief can begin.

Chronic pain in dogsis pain that has been going on for a while. It might look more subtle and sneak up on you. For example, you might only realize your dog has been sleeping more than usual after a few weeks go by. Illnesses likearthritis,periodontal disease, orcancercan cause this type of pain. Its also common insenior dogs, but dont just dismiss it as normal aging it isnt. Again, your dog needs a trip to the veterinarian, but in this case, you likely dont need the emergency clinic. However, when you book the appointment, be sure to explain the signs your dog has been exhibiting, so the clinic can determine how quickly your dog needs to be seen.

There are ways you can help your vet diagnose the source of your dogs pain. First, keep a detailed record of what youve noticed. For example, does your dog avoid stairs all the time or only after getting up from a nap? Or how long have they been picking at their food? Second, try to photograph or videotape the behavior of concern. Dogs often behave differently at the clinic than they do at home, so providing the vet with details will help them understand how your dog is feeling.

While you wait for your vet appointment, modify or stop any activities that seem to trigger pain. For example, if your dog doesnt want to go for a walk, simply take them out for bathroom breaks. Or provide a ramp or stairs to help them in and out of the car. But dont give your dog any medications without prior instruction from a veterinarian as manyhuman drugs are dangerous for dogs. Once your vet has zeroed in on the problem, they will discuss treatment options with you which could range fromlaser therapytoacupuncturetodietary supplements. The important thing is to identify signs of pain promptly because the sooner your dogs pain is managed and treated, the better their quality of life will be.