Signs of Pain in Dogs

Our beloved dogs have their own way of expressing themselves through specific signs and behaviors, letting us know something's wrong. Spotting pain in a dog isn't easy, but if your dog shows any of these symptoms, they may be experiencing it.

Here at SoyUnPerro, we'll explain how dogs in pain behave, so you can tell if something hurts your dog and provide the right care or see the vet. Remember every dog is different, each with their own personality, and they may show one or several of the symptoms described below.

My dog is panting and licking excessively, are they in pain?

We all know dogs don't sweat, since they don't have sweat glands, so they cool off by panting. A dog sticking their tongue out and panting is completely normal, especially in warm climates, during summer, or after playing/exercising.

But a dog panting excessively for no apparent reason can mean they're experiencing some kind of pain. The same happens with licking things — it's normal for dogs to lick things since they're very curious... but if they lick excessively and constantly, it means they're in pain.

Licking parts of their own body generally points to some kind of discomfort. It's their way of showing they're itchy, or as mentioned, that something hurts. So we need to pay attention to what our pet is trying to tell us. So, if your dog is panting excessively, it's very likely they're experiencing some kind of undetermined pain.

Should I let them eat grass?

When a dog has a stomach ache or has eaten something that didn't agree with them, they sometimes excessively lick the floor, the wall, or even compulsively eat grass to try to purge themselves automatically. A hard, tucked-up abdomen (board-like) in our pet is also a strong sign of abdominal pain.

They do this instinctively to trigger vomiting and relieve intestinal pain in a natural, physiological way. That said, it's not a good idea to let our pet eat grass freely whenever they want, since although at first glance we might think vomiting will fix things, if they've eaten something they shouldn't have or that didn't agree with them and more than two hours have passed, it can no longer come back up through vomiting, and the discomfort will persist.

Vomiting also brings up low-pH hydrochloric acid from the stomach into the esophagus, which can cause ulcers in that organ, needing medication in the long run.

Dog yelps when touched

My dog yelps when a certain area is touched

Some dogs are a bit jumpy and complain just from being touched, while others are more tolerant and let their humans pet or even massage them. That's why it's very important to know our pet and their personality, so we can tell when something is actually hurting them, versus a dog who just tends to complain often no matter where you touch them.

If you're petting your dog and touching a certain spot, like a paw or part of the spine, makes them yelp or bark, it means that area hurts.

Before doing an X-ray or ultrasound on dogs showing pain, vets palpate them to see where the dog reacts when touched. This way, they can pinpoint the painful area to focus attention on it. This isn't always so obvious, since sometimes pain is more generalized and nonspecific, which is why these tests are often very much indicated in such cases.

• We can do this method ourselves: carefully pet our dog and note when they react, to see where they might be in pain. It could simply be an embedded thorn that doesn't need more than removal in the case of sudden limping, or it could be more serious pain requiring longer-term medication.

Pain in dogs can also cause aggression — if we touch a painful area, it's a natural, instinctive way for them to protect themselves. If your dog growls or shows aggression when you touch a certain spot, it's very possible they're in pain, and depending on their personality, it could hurt quite a bit, so special attention should be paid in these cases.

My dog is hiding or not eating because they're in pain

Another sign of pain in dogs is withdrawal. Dogs tend to hide or move away from others when they're in some kind of pain, depending on their personality. It's a very common pain symptom in dogs that can give us clues that something isn't right.

Loss of appetite is also a clear symptom of pain — it's not a big deal if our dog doesn't want to eat once, but it's very unusual for them to not want to eat all day. When several meals in a day pass and your dog still isn't eating, it's because something hurts or is bothering them, breaking from their normal behavior pattern, since generally almost all dogs tend to be very food-motivated and have a big appetite.

If your dog is in pain, you shouldn't give them medication on your own judgment — it should always be a vet who provides the right medication. This is because the vet needs to do a general and then specific exam of the animal to get an idea of where that pain could be coming from, since it can have various causes, and treatment can differ each time.

They're acting strange and their breathing is off

Another common symptom in dogs with pain is rapid breathing (tachypnea). A dog who's just gone for a walk, played, or run will have rapid breathing, which is completely normal, since they've done more exercise than usual.

On the other hand, a dog who's been still for a good while should have calm, steady breathing. If your dog's breathing is very rapid, they're likely experiencing pain somewhere in their body.

So, the best thing we can do at home is to check whether they have abdominal pain, pain in a limb, in the spine... Gather as much information as possible about how it happened (if we saw it occur), how long ago, how our pet has behaved since then... This information will help the vet better pinpoint the pain and set up proper treatment that will help our pet improve within a matter of days.