Living With a Dog with Chronic Pain: What You Said Was Hardest
Living with a dog who has long term musculoskeletal pain can feel overwhelming. Many guardians tell me about how distressing it can be, alongside having make big decisions about being unsure if they are doing the right thing.
As a myotherapist my main role is canine massage, but I offer all my clients social support. I often hear the same concerns and find that many people are struggling with the same issues. For this blog post, I asked dog owners who live with dogs with chronic pain, what they find the hardest and offer my advice.
"I never know whether I am seeing a flare-up, an injury, or something new"
This is one of the hardest parts of living with a dog with a chronic issue. Dogs are excellent communicators, but it can be difficult to tell what is causing their issue. Changes in behaviour, posture and movement can help us identify that discomfort may be present.
A helpful first step is learning what is 'normal' for your dog, and identifying what is different. This could be reluctance to do something, changes in exercise tolerance, or becoming (more) reactive to other dogs. Keeping a diary can help to track patterns including how often issues occur, how long they last and what might trigger them.
If you see new, persistent or worsening symptoms, or you simply are not sure, it is essential to speak with your vet. You vet can determine if the symptoms are related to your dogs current diagnosis, if changes are needed to medications, or whether it is worth running further tests.
"I sometimes find it a struggle to advocate for my dog"
This is something many owners feel guilty about, or feel they do not do well. However, it is essential that you advocate for your dog.
When we work with you as a professional, be that a vet, a myotherapist like myself, a behaviourist or anyone else you can think of, we are of course here to offer our knowledge and expertise. BUT we need your help.
You live with you dog - you know them well, even if you sometimes need guidance to help understand what you are seeing. As professionals we rely on the information you are giving us to guide decision making. For all our education, we do not know everything, and I for one welcome new ideas to explore.
Advocacy is not about confrontation, it is collaboration and protection.
"I don't think the multimodal approach is talked about enough"
Preach! As a myotherapist I work as part of a multimodal approach, but many people have told me that they were not aware of all the treatment options.
Chronic pain management is about than pain medications, it is about multiple approaches working together - veterinary care, complementary therapies, lifestyle management, environmental changes, and emotional wellbeing support.
This can feel daunting, especially if there is rarely a 'right' answer and dogs respond differently to different interventions. A good starting point is to consider what your dog likes and dislikes, and what is realistic for you as their guardian.
"I wish I had done more to prevent this"
It is important to remember that there are many variables which cause dogs to develop long term musculoskeletal health, and not all of those in are in your control.
However, many owners regret having not made changes to support their dog before they developed issues and there are things we can all do to support our dogs musculoskeletal health at any age:
- Cover your slippery floors with non-slip rugs or mats – constantly walking on these floors can cause long term damage to your dogs muscles
- Warm your dog up before high impact and warm down afterwards. It does not need to be complicated, 5-10 minutes gentle walk before and a gentle walk and scatter feed after.
- Get a ramp or steps to help your dog in and out of the car – they often do this either on very cold muscles or tired muscles and it’s a massive jump – even for big dogs!
"I'm never sure if I'm giving the right amount of exercise"
There is no single 'correct' exercise plan for dogs with conditions such as osteoarthritis or hip dysplasia. However, exercise and movement are important to help manage the pain, reduce symptoms and for mental wellbeing.
Exercise tolerance can change from day to day, so this is another time keeping a diary can help. Keeping notes on what activities your dog has done and how they have responded can help guide decisions - don't forget that symptoms are sometimes seen 24 - 48 hours later.
It can also help to start with shorter regular walks and build up to identify what your dog can cope with and enjoys. Conditioning exercises and movement from enrichment activities are also important.
"I don't know if the medications or supplements are working"
As a myotherapist I cannot advise on medication - only a vet can do that. What I can do is help you feel more confident advocating for your odg.
Medications should be introduced one at a time and trialed for at least 4-6 weeks to monitor for changes. If in this time you do not feel there has been a change tell your vet.
If you are not sure if a medication is still working discuss with your vet whether it is appropriate to stop, change or increase the dose (PLEASE DO NOT DO ANY OF THESE THINGS WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR VET).
Need Further Support?
The Canine Arthritis Management is an excellent resource. Although it focuses on arthritis, the majority of the information applies to all dogs living with musculoskeletal pain. You can also pay for membership to access regular talks and further support.
Need to talk to someone? My ask a therapist telephone support service offers a space to talk through concerns, spot patterns, prepare for vet visits and feel more confident in the decisions you're making. While I cannot assess, treat or diagnose your dog, I can help you make sense of what you are seeing and signpost you to appropriate next steps.
You do not have to have all the answers, sometimes the right conversation is the best place to start.