We all feel pain to varying extents and our dogs do too. But how do we know when they are in pain and to what extent, and are certain breeds more sensitive to pain than others? Can pain cause behaviour changes, nervousness, and reactiveness, and what can we do to help our struggling dogs?
Up until recent years most people didn’t perceive dogs to be sentient beings, nor did they understand that dogs feel pain. So extensive research has been conducted in this field and it is on-going. Fortunately, we now have a better understanding of pain pathways, types of pain and how to manage it for both us and our dogs.
From a physiological viewpoint dogs process pain in the same way we do, yet they appear to tolerate pain better than us – ‘appear’ being the key word here. Pain talks to us - it lets us know something is wrong, so we need to be on top of it to prevent the worsen of the pain, worsening of primary and secondary conditions and further complications.
Dogs like us have different pain levels, thresholds and tolerate their pain differently. It also varies between breeds. Understanding this can help improve our recognition of the broad spectrum of behaviours that they show us. People for example believe big dogs are the strong ones and can tolerate much more, with small dogs being weaker or wimps with less tolerance for pain and associated behaviours.
A pain sensitivity study was completed in the USA by Margaret E. Gruen at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a team of researchers. They decided to survey veterinarians to see if they had observed how various breeds differ in pain sensitivity. The study included 28 breeds of dogs and 1078 responses were collated from professional vets along with 1053 survey responses from the public using the same survey that ran from zero – not sensitive at all to 100 – most sensitive imaginable. (No pain was inflicted purposely, and the research was done with dogs already experiencing varying degrees of pain. For more detailed info please go to: -
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0230315
It concluded that 100% of all vet’s felt that pain level tolerances and sensitivities differ in different breeds and were genetic in nature.
Some popular dogs most sensitive to pain include: -
Chihuahua
Husky
Dachshund
German Shepherd
Whippet
Some popular dogs with above average sensitivity to pain include: -
Pug
Weimaraner
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Boston Terrier
Greyhound
Some popular dogs with below average sensitivity to pain include: -
Jack Russell Terrier
Border Collie
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Great Dane
Doberman Pincher
Some popular dogs with the least sensitivity to pain include: -
Rottweiler
Boxer
Bulldog
Labrador Retriever
American Staffordshire Terrier
So, what are the symptoms of pain in our dogs?
Pain symptoms also vary for example from the obvious - crying, whimpering, and howling to the not so obvious – not interested in play, lethargy, and aggression.
Dog owners and professionals need to understand canine body language and what dogs are trying so hard to tell us. For dog owners changes in physical signs and behaviours are important. We need to know our dogs, be our dogs advocate, and be their voice. Know their changes in behaviour and posture – learn gait patterns and understand body expressions in context. We need to learn the subtle signs to help our dogs get what they need and to get the best from our vet visit. Often times when pain becomes easily recognisable (i.e., a limp), the dog is truly struggling.
Changes in behaviour i.e., a usually calm dog can become quite fearful and aggressive perhaps due to pain. Please speak to your vet – if the physical symptoms are not visible perhaps ask for a pain medication trial. If your dog’s behaviour improves with this, then you can be sure the aggression was pain related and possible further investigations are required for correct diagnosis.
A few signs of behavioural changes that may be pain related include: -
Excessive licking of paws (not always allergy related, sadly which most people think)
Excessive grooming
Vocalisations – whimpering, crying, howling
Lethargy
Restlessness
Refusing to walk or stops on a walk and refuses to walk further
Refuses or prefers to walk on certain surfaces
Aggression or antisocial behaviour
Changes in eating, drinking, and sleeping habits
Fear
Sound Sensitive
Not wanting to be touched (especially when they usually love being stroked)
A few signs of physical changes that may be pain related include: -
Shaking or trembling
Panting
Tail tucked under
Arched back
Head hanging lower than shoulders
Limp/lameness
Twitching muscles
Unusual walking pattern
Change in coat condition or pattern (check out Tellington Touch).
Stiffness when getting up from a laying position
Struggles to jump on sofa or do the stairs.
If you feel that your dog is in pain – call the vet - modify their routine - more in a later blog.
Keep an eye open for my next blog about how to make the best of your vet appointment. I discuss what questions to ask and what information you need to give your vet.
(Dr. Aja Senestraro, 2019)
(Playforth, 2021)
(Clinic, 2020)
(Stanley Coren PhD., 2020)
(Margaret E. Gruen, 2020)
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