Our dear furry companions have their own way of expressing themselves through specific signs and behaviors, so they can let us know what is happening to them. Detecting pain in dogs is not easy, but if your dog shows any of these signs, it is possible that he is suffering from it.
From Dogsis we are going to explain how dogs that have pain behave, so you can know if your dog hurts something in order to give him the right medicines. Remember that each dog is different and may show one or more of the symptoms that we describe below.
Index of contents
- 1 My dog is panting and licking excessively. Is it in pain?
- 2 My dog squeals when it touches a certain area
- 3 My dog hides or does not eat because he is in pain
- 4 My dog behaves strangely and his breathing is altered
My dog is panting and licking excessively. Is it in pain?
We all know that dogs don’t sweat because they don’t have sweat glands, so they cool by panting. For a dog to stick out its tongue and gasp is completely normal, especially in hot climates or after playing or exercising.
But a dog panting excessively for no reason can mean that it is suffering from pain. The same happens when they lick things, it is normal for dogs to lick things because they are very curious … but if they lick excessively and constantly, it means that they are sore.
Many people ask us how to know if a dog has stomach pain, as this is one of the answers. When a dog has heartburn or pain for other reasons, it tends to excessively lick the floor, wall or even eat grass convulsively.
So if your dog is panting excessively it is very likely that he is suffering from some type of undetermined pain, if he constantly licks the ground or sucks his nose chances are you have a stomach ache.
When a dog has a stomach ache, it is best to take it to a place where there is grass and it can eat as it wishes. They do it instinctively to induce vomiting and eliminate stomach pain naturally, or to alleviate heartburn.
My dog squeals when it touches a certain area
Some dogs are a little scary and just complain when touched, but others are more permissive and allow their humans to pet and even massage them. If you are petting your dog and touching a certain area, such as a paw or part of the spine, it screeches or barks, means that area hurts.
Veterinarians, before performing an x-ray or ultrasound scan of dogs with pain, palpate them to see where the dog complains when they are touched. That way they can locate the dog’s painful area to give it more attention.
In an amateur way it is the same thing that we can do, carefully pet our dog and assess when it complains, in which area it may suffer pain. Perhaps it is simply a stuck thorn that does not require more attention, or perhaps it is a more severe pain that requires medication.
Dog pain can also cause a dog to show aggression If we touch an area with pain, it is a natural and instinctive way to protect yourself. If your dog growls at you or shows aggressiveness by touching a certain area, it may be sore.
My dog hides or does not eat because he is in pain
Another sign of pain in dogs is isolation, dogs tend to hide or stay away from others when they have some type of pain. It is a very common pain symptom in dogs that can give us clues that something is wrong.
Loss of appetite is also a clear symptom of pain, although nothing happens because our dog does not want to eat once, it is very strange that he does not want to eat all day. When after a day a dog continues without eating it is because something hurts.
If your dog is in pain, you should not give him medications at your discretion, it should always be a vet who provides you with the appropriate medication. Since each type of pain can derive from a different pathology.
My dog behaves strangely and his breathing is altered
Another of the most common symptoms in dogs with pain is heavy breathing. A dog that has just been walking, playing or running has fast breathing because it is completely normal.
But a dog that has been quiet for a long time should have steady, calm breathing. If your dog is breathing heavily, it is probably suffering from pain somewhere in its body.
Strange behavior in dogs can also be pain symptoms, dogs that change character for no reason, act strangely, or even become more gruff or aggressive may be suffering from pain.