Your dog could “be in severe pain” but suffer in silence, vets have warned.
However, some surprising signs can appear if your dog needs help.
In a blog post, Vets Now – a UK-based out-of-hours emergency and intensive care service for pets – revealed some telltale indicators to watch out for.
They also point out that any change in behavior is worth monitoring.
Perhaps one of the easiest to spot is antisocial or aggressive behavior. This could see your pet stop running to greet you at the door or even hide from you – so be sure to keep an eye out.
In a blog post, Vets Now – an after-hours emergency and intensive care service for pets – revealed some subtle indicators to watch out for (stock image used)
Other potential pain signals could be that your dog is more vocal in yelping, heavy panting even without exercise, and reduced interest in activity or exercise.
Body and posture changes can also be significant. This can be a “bent over”, “stiff” position or a big “down dog” style stretch that allows them to focus on their abdominal area if there is pain in that area.
Any irregularities in eating, drinking or sleeping habits are also important to consider.
A dog in pain is likely to sleep more in an attempt to heal and rest, and just like humans, a loss of appetite or any change in our regular eating and drinking schedules can signal a symptom of undercurrent problems. underlyings.
If your dog has trouble eating or chewing dry and/or firm foods, dental pain could be at play, the outlet added.
And sometimes the signs can even be a bit surprising and initially seem positive.
Although we want our puppies to take care of themselves, excessive grooming can also be a sign that something is wrong, especially if they are constantly licking their paws, which the posts say is a first. typical response to cleaning and caring for a wound.
Vets also advise keeping an eye out for mobility issues, especially if they detect stiffness from the lameness, which could mean injury, leg pain or, in some cases, arthritis.
Perhaps one of the easiest to spot is antisocial or aggressive behavior. This could see your pet stop running to greet you at the door or even hide from you – so be sure to keep an eye out (stock image used)
Other potential signs of pain are restlessness – such as restlessness or difficulty getting comfortable – and shaking or shaking, which can even be a symptom of something as serious as poisoning or kidney disease.
It comes as the pet ownership lockdown boom has led to an ‘extremely worrying’ rise in aggressive dog behavior, a survey of vets has found.
Half of UK vets reported an increase in customers concerned about increasingly aggressive behavior by their dogs in the past 12 months, the survey found.
While veterinarians in the survey were often unsure of the exact ages of the dogs involved, in cases where the age was known, 87% of the dogs were believed to be under three years old.
Nearly one in four veterinarians (24%) also reported an increase in the number of pets they had treated in the past 12 months who had been injured as a result of aggressive dog behavior.
The British Veterinary Association, which commissioned the survey, said the findings highlight longer-term impacts on puppies purchased during lockdown in 2020-21.