CHAPTER 1 - ALTERED BEHAVIOUR

READING TIME: 1.5 MINUTES

Altered behaviour can indicate pain, but not always. Altered mood, reduced playfulness, and vocalisation are also signs of anxiety or illness. Accurate interpretation requires the input of your dog’s veterinary team.

  • REDUCED PLAYFULNESS

    Disinterest in play and reduced tail wagging may be signs of chronic pain. Comparing your dog to someone else's dog isn’t a good way to assess playfulness. The best benchmark is a memory of your own dog before you suspected a problem. If they're less playful compared to their old selves, it could be a sign of discomfort.

  • ALTERED MOOD

    Reading altered mood can be difficult. People convey mood changes using language. Dogs show subtle signs which vary with with age, stress and anxiety. You’ll find tips on detecting signs of canine stress at the bottom of this page.

  • VOCALISING

    Howling, whining and yelping are common signs of acute pain. They are much less common in dogs with chronic discomfort. For instance, dogs with arthritis often suffer in silence. In the absence of painful 'talk', we rely on more consistent clues. The most consistent clues relate to altered function (see below).

CHAPTER 2 - ALTERED FUNCTION

WATCH TIME: SIX 1 MINUTE VIDEOS

The most consistent signs of pain are also the easiest to detect. These include limited mobility, restlessness, and stiffness. Here are 6 videos which teach you what to look for.

CHAPTER 3 - PAIN MEASUREMENT

COMPLETION TIME: 3-7 MINUTES

HELSINKI CHRONIC PAIN INDEX

PAIN-FREE DOG INDEX

STRESS AND CHRONIC PAIN

Chronic pain causes anxiety from the fear of continued pain and the fear of not recovering. This form of anxiety affects carers as well as patients. Carers who worry they won't meet their responsibilities can become very stressed. Dogs read our emotions better than we read theirs. Consequently, a carer's anxiety can easily become a dog's anxiety. Caregiver stress syndrome has important negative impacts on dogs and their carers. Scroll down to learn more about canine stress syndrome and cognitive dysfunction.

  • CANINE STRESS SYNDROME

    There's a strong relationship between pain and emotional disorders. Stress can be a cause or an effect of chronic pain. The canine stress calculator (CSC) asks 28 questions. They identify triggers such as veterinary visits, thuderstorms or moving house. If an anxiety disorder is identified, specific treatment can improve concurrent chronic pain.

    TIME TO COMPLETE: 5-6 minutes

    OPEN CSC

  • CANINE COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION

    Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) shares features with Alzheimer’s disease in people. Some signs of CCD are easily confused with signs of chronic pain. These include altered mood, interrupted sleep, and restlessness. Other signs are more specific. These include reduced recognition of people, animals or objects and aimless wandering.

    TIME TO COMPLETE: 3-4 minutes

    OPEN CCDQ