It’s easy to know when someone is in pain because, of course, they tell us. It’s a little more difficult to tell with animals. There may be obvious signs with animals suffering from large amounts of pain; however, more subtle and chronic pain may be more challenging to detect.
Just like people, animals are telling us when they are in pain; you just have to know how to listen. Animal Chiropractors are trained in the art of detecting such subtle, chronic pain. Here are some signs that your dog may need to see their animal chiropractor for a treatment:
- They don’t want to be petted: While this can be a very overt sign, it can be quite subtle too. Of course, some dogs may act out aggressively when touched in sore areas, many dogs are too nice and eager to please so they don’t get angry. Small hints such as shying away from your hand, getting up and moving away or displaying calming mechanisms (such as pinning their ears back, yawning and licking their lips) when being petted may mean your dog has a sore spot.
- Reluctance on Stairs: Going up or down stairs can be quite awkward for a dog, especially smaller dogs. Unwillingness to tackle the stairs can be one of the first signs you see that your dog is in a state of discomfort. This can mean a variety of different pains such as back, hip, knee or foot pain.
- Laziness: Put yourself in your dog’s shoes for a moment. If you were in pain and didn’t want to walk but couldn’t actually say that, what would you do? Likely show some passive resistance and lay down when put on the leash. This is often misinterpreted as laziness but could very well mean your dog is too sore to want to go for a walk. Other ways pain can be mistaken for laziness is that your dog could be lying around the house more than usual or not playing the same games they used to enjoy. Keep in mind however, this can mean a variety of things including serious reasons to take your dog to your veterinarian.
- Decreased Performance in Sporting Dogs: Dogs love to please and they often do so at their own detriment. When dogs love their sports, it takes a lot to keep them out of it. So your dog may actually be hiding his pain in order to keep going. But a careful eye from you can pick up some subtleties. Sudden changes in performance, even slight decreases, can mean your dog isn’t feeling his best and should be examined.
To make sure your dog isn’t quietly suffering in pain schedule regular visits with your certified animal chiropractor. Your dog can’t say out loud when he’s in pain and he can’t point to where it hurts so having a certified animal chiropractor examine your dog is a great way to make sure he’s feeling his best.
