[cross-posted from Dr. Jon's Dog Crazy Newsletter] How do you know if your dog is in pain? This is a common question for many dog owners. Dogs can't talk and it can be difficult to determine if and when a dog is in pain. Below is a photo of a puppy with a very swollen foot and superficial skin damage. His foot was run over by a car. Yep, by a car. This puppy was actively playing and acted as though he had NO idea he was injured. 
The puppy above had x-rays and nothing was broken. He was lucky to have only suffered from soft tissue injury to the foot. The area was clipped and cleaned and he went home on some pain/anti-inflammatory medications. At last check, he was doing great. Every dog responds differently to pain and may show different signs. Some dogs are very stoic and barely show any pain, while others cry and whine at the thought of pain. For example, I recall seeing a Labrador Retriever come in with a broken leg. The dog was not bearing weight on the injured leg but he was wagging his tail and happy to see me. He was not crying - even when I examined the leg. On the other hand, I saw a Beagle for a minor scratch and he screamed bloody murder before I even touched him. So every pet really responds differently to pain. Some pets will act lethargic or withdrawn, others won't eat, and some will sleep more, move around less, or play less. Others may cry and be more vocal. Dogs can be very good at hiding their illness based on their survival instincts. So it can be very difficult to tell if some dogs are in pain. The only sign that some dogs may be in pain is an elevated heart rate or respiratory rate. If your dog's foot is run over by a car please have him or her evaluated by your veterinarian, even if they do not appear to be in pain. Most of us think it will not happen to us, but emergencies can happen at any time. We would not think about letting our kids be without health insurance... our dogs should also be protected. I encourage you to take a minute to educate yourself about pet insurance. Knowing that you will be able to provide the best medical care for your dog can really give you peace of mind. So take a few minutes to learn about the many benefits of pet insurance and get a FREE quote. Go to: petinsurance.com/free quote I will be sending an article entitled "Pain in Dogs" to you soon. This article goes through some of the common causes and symptoms of pain in dogs. Depending on why your dog is in pain, medication may help. There are several medications that are approved for use in dogs. So stay tuned... Until next time, Dr. Jon |
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