Chronic (ongoing rather than sudden) pain in dogs is common, but can be missed because we tend to assume that a quiet dog isn’t in pain.
One of the commonest causes of chronic pain in dogs is arthritis, which is suffered by many older dogs. Typically, symptoms include: slowing down on walks, not wanting to walk as far, limping and being stiff after lying down. These symptoms are often put down to old age, and a lot of owners therefore don’t think that their dog could be in pain.
If a dog is otherwise well, then the symptoms listed above can, in fact, be a result of pain. Old age alone doesn’t cause these symptoms – it is simply that old age makes arthritis and other illnesses more common. Dogs do not limp unless they are in pain (except rarely when a restricted ability to fully extend a leg causes a ‘mechanical’ limp).
Other signs of chronic pain include increased panting, reduced appetite and other changes in behaviour such as being more withdrawn, lethargic or wanting to play less.
Dogs are good at compensating for painful joints. Commonly, dogs with hip pain use their front legs more, which can lead to reduced muscle mass over the hips and wider, more muscled, shoulders.
Typical behaviour exhibited by dogs in chronic rarely includes crying or yelping, because their pain is constantly present. The exception might be when an arthritic joint may experience a flare up after a trip or fall, which in itself would cause the dog to yelp. Dogs are more likely to avoid the pain by not walking as much. They may get grumpy with other dogs or people if they think that pain may result from an interaction.
Breed type significantly affects a dog’s presentation of pain. Springer spaniels, for instance, are often very stoic and ‘pretend’ they are not in pain. Labradors are generally happy dogs and continue to try to please their humans by coming on walks and wagging their tails. But if any dog is limping or stiff, it is in pain.
Managing pain requires a combined approach. Pain from arthritis responds well to weight loss (fat in itself can increase inflammation), regular steady exercise, alternative therapies (hydrotherapy or physiotherapy, for example), appropriate supplements and various medications. Different medications and combinations of drugs can be tried until the individual gets the best treatment for their own needs.
Pain is frequently under-recognised in older dogs, so comparing your dog’s behaviour to that of its younger self can be helpful. A useful resource for canine arthritis is www.caninearthritis.co.uk, which provides lots of excellent advice and a scoring system that enables you to assess your own dog.

by Lynn Broom, Longmead Veterinary Practice