How to Tell if Your Dog Is in Pain

Dogs have adapted over thousands of years to rely on humans — our diets, our facial expressions, our scents, and more. They look to people to understand their world and move confidently through it. People, though, often miss the signs their four-legged friends are sending. And the hardest one of all? Knowing when a dog is in pain.

Changes such as decreased activity, decreased appetite, and personality shifts may go unnoticed or misunderstood. Some people think that a dog who limps or hunches, but doesn’t cry, isn’t in pain. But nothing could be further from the truth. Knowing all the ways a dog may be telling you they’re in pain can be integral to maintaining a happy and healthy home life with them. 

How do I know if my dog is in pain?

The most important part of knowing that your dog is in pain is noticing a behavior change. If your dog is typically quiet and suddenly makes noises as they move or lie down, that’s a hint that they may be in pain. Likewise, if your dog is normally quick to vocalize and suddenly doesn’t make a peep, something may be wrong. 

Aside from sounds, a dog who is usually boisterous and bouncy but is suddenly almost too self-controlled may be showing potential signs of pain. Meanwhile, a slow-moving dog who suddenly shoots up from lying down is also probably in pain.

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Changes in appetite, personality, and body posture can also indicate the presence of pain. In some cases, these changes occur quickly, letting you know that something has changed suddenly or acutely. 

Chronic pain, however, may lead to gradual changes. If you think back and realize your dog’s energy level, appetite, vocalization, athleticism, and so on are markedly different now than a couple of months or years ago, this is an indication that a chronic, or slower and longer-lasting disease process is at play. This could be a progression of arthritis or many other things. 

Once you notice any changes, talk it through with your veterinarian, so they can figure out what is going on and make recommendations to help your pet feel better.

6 signs your dog is in pain

Here are some of the most common signs of pain in dogs.

Mobility issues

As dogs age, they may jump or run less. They may spend more time sleeping, not walk as far, and not play for as long or as roughly. The trick to recognizing pain is that age is not a disease, and in most cases, progression of arthritis — a degenerative inflammatory condition of the joints that causes pain — is the underlying culprit.

If your dog shows a sudden change in mobility (which may also include limping, trembling, hunching their back, maintaining tight or tense facial expressions, whining, eating less, or hiding), they may have an injury that needs immediate medical attention. 

Heavy panting

Panting can be a sign of stress in a dog. Sometimes that’s due to anxiety or nausea, but it can also be due to pain. If your dog isn’t a chronic panter and they don’t have a reason to be overheated, they may be telling you that they are uncomfortable.

Trembling

Trembling, shaking, twitching, moving around restlessly — these are all signs of pain in dogs. Usually, these will come with an acute injury, in which the pain is new and overwhelming. They may seek comfort from you, or they may hide, depending on their instincts. 

Vocalizations

Vocalizations can look a lot of ways. Sometimes, they’re obvious signs of pain, such as crying out, screaming, and whining persistently. Other times, the connection to pain may be more subtle or confusing, such as grumbling, growling, barking, groaning, or even releasing loud breaths.

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Decreased appetite

Even dogs who have been light eaters their whole lives may be telling you something with their appetite. A dog who eats less on some days than others may be dealing with chronic pain. A dog who is injured often won’t have an appetite until the pain is controlled and they’ve had a chance to calm down. Stress can significantly affect a dog’s appetite, which is why it’s so common for pain to cause a dog to eat less or skip meals. 

Also, don’t forget that if your dog’s pain comes from their mouth, this can make it extra difficult to eat. If your dog seems to have a low appetite for hard food but a normal one for wet food, it’s time to get their teeth checked. 

Hunching or abnormal posture

A rounded, hunched back can be a sign of joint or belly pain. Other important posture changes can include a dog not lifting their head above their shoulders, not lifting their tail above their hips, holding their tail to one side of their body, and curving their back or neck to one side or walking stiffly.

Behavioral signs of pain in dogs

House-training accidents

House-training regression, or a dog who used to be housetrained starting to have accidents in the house again, can be a sign of pain. Sometimes this is due to stress. In some cases, as dogs age, this can be due to inflammation from joint pain also affecting the nerves that prevent incontinence. Be sure to let your vet know if your dog is struggling with this. 

Sleep changes

As with people, pain can make sleep difficult. A dog with a painful back or joint may avoid lying down, instead pacing, especially at nighttime. Once they lie down, they may not settle — shifting and getting back up repeatedly. This can seriously affect their quality of sleep. This lack of sleep can also slow the healing of whatever hurts. To help with this, give your dog a comfy, supportive place to sleep.

Lack of interest in playing

If playing hurts, it may not be worth it to your dog. They might gaze longingly at toys or track you with their eyes when you invite them to play, but decide not to get up or only play for a minute before lying down and panting. Depending on the source of the pain, you can talk about pain control with your vet, or you can adapt your play style to meet your dog’s needs. 

Low energy

Exercise intolerance, less interest in play, less energetic movement, more sleeping, and less eating can all be signs of low energy. Being in pain takes a lot out of a dog. Chronic, painful health conditions, in particular, can really drain your dog and keep them from doing the things they used to do. This may look like shorter walks, less time running at the park or during play, needing more incentive to get up, and generally seeming more “calm.” Not all signs of pain will look that bad, so it’s important to track behavioral changes in your dog, even if your pup seems good. 

Depression or anxious behaviors

Pain and anxiety have a lot of overlap, so signs of anxiety in dogs may actually be triggered by pain. Pacing, licking, barking, whining, hiding, and even aggressive behaviors are often attributed to anxiety, but can also be due to pain — because where there’s one, there’s often the other. Meanwhile, signs of depression, such as having less energy and eating less, can also mean there’s pain present. If you visit a vet to figure out why your dog is anxious or depressed, remember to ask them to examine your dog for pain, too. 

Sudden aggression

Some vocalizations that seem like aggression, such as growling or barking, can be your dog telling you that they’re anxious about something approaching them. It’s important to catch these signs as early as you can, because other pets, children, or even adults approaching your dog could lead to escalations such as bites. This can happen even in dogs with chronic pain, which may make the changes harder to recognize. 

Warning signs of aggression while in pain include a dog showing the whites of their eyes, tensing their facial muscles, stiffening their body, flattening their ears to their head, lowering their head, licking their snout, making strong eye contact, raising their lips, growling, barking, or snapping at the air. 

What to do when your dog is in pain

If you suspect your dog is in pain, reach out to a veterinarian to have them assessed. No over-the-counter pain medications are safe for dogs, which is why seeing a vet is a must. 

You can also support your dog by minimizing activities that may cause them pain. Steps you can take to help them include shortening walks, providing them with ramps, stairs, or a lift onto couches or beds, or removing toys from their area. It is also helpful to make sure they have a comfortable place to lie down where they won’t be bothered by other animals or people.

Commonly asked questions

Why is my dog in pain all of a sudden?

There are countless reasons for a dog to be in pain. They may have hurt their leg or bone, broken a nail, been bitten, strained a muscle, eaten something that gave them a bellyache, or something else. If it isn’t immediately obvious why your dog is suddenly in pain, reach out to a veterinarian who can help find the cause. 

Is my dog limping, but not in pain?

It’s not uncommon for dog parents to think that even though their dog is limping — since they aren’t crying — that they aren’t in pain. However, limping is always a sign of pain in a dog, so you can be sure if they’re limping that they’re in pain, even if everything else seems normal. 

References

Frank, Diane. “Recognizing Behavioral Signs of Pain and Disease.” Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, vol. 44, no. 3, May 2014, pp. 507–524, doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2014.01.002. 

Mills, Daniel S., et al. “Pain and Problem Behavior in Cats and Dogs.” Animals, vol. 10, no. 2, 1 Feb. 2020, p. 318, www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/2/318, doi.org/10.3390/ani10020318.