Overview
This lecture focuses on understanding and identifying pain and discomfort in dogs, how pain impacts canine behavior, and effective approaches to assessment and treatment.
Understanding Pain in Dogs
- Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience related to actual or potential tissue damage.
- Dogs, like humans, experience both physical and emotional impacts from pain.
- Pain alerts the brain to harm and triggers behavioral and physiological responses.
- Pain can be caused by injury, long-term conditions, infections, or nerve damage.
- Individual dogs' pain perception and tolerance vary significantly.
Types of Pain
- Neuropathic pain results from nerve damage or irritation and can cause unusual sensitivity to touch (allodynia) or heightened pain response (hyperalgesia).
- Somatic pain originates from skin, muscles, bones, or joints and is usually localized and constant.
- Visceral pain occurs in internal organs and is often diffuse and difficult to pinpoint.
- Acute pain is short-term and directly linked to injury or illness; resolves with healing.
- Chronic pain lasts over three months, may persist after injury healing, and often has no benefit.
Pain and Behavior
- Pain can directly cause problematic behavior or worsen existing behavioral issues.
- Common pain-related behaviors include reluctance to move, changes in gait, sudden aggression, or increased anxiety.
- Subtle signs like stargazing, compulsive behaviors, or sudden performance drops may indicate pain.
- Pain and stress can amplify each other, causing a cycle of worsening behavior and discomfort.
Assessment and Veterinary Collaboration
- Vets may miss pain if only obvious signs are present; thorough owner observation is crucial.
- The Dynamic Dog Protocol involves in-depth owner interviews, collecting photos/videos, and analyzing daily activities for evidence of discomfort.
- Reports are compiled to guide veterinarians, focusing on specific problems and supporting data.
Common Pain Medications for Dogs
- NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) reduce inflammation and include carprofen, meloxicam, aspirin, firocoxib, robencoxib, and grapiprant.
- Newer medications like gabapentin address neuropathic pain with fewer side effects.
- Analgesic trials under veterinary supervision help determine pain's role in behavior.
Case Study: Peanut the Dog
- Peanut displayed fearful and avoidant behavior, abnormal posture, and gait abnormalities.
- Diagnosis revealed osteoarthritis and spinal spondylosis, causing chronic pain.
- Treatment included gabapentin, joint supplements, physio, and hydrotherapy, which improved his comfort and behavior.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Allodynia — Pain due to a stimulus that does not normally provoke pain.
- Hyperalgesia — Increased sensitivity to pain.
- Kyphosis — Abnormal arching of the back.
- NSAIDs — Medications that reduce inflammation and pain.
- Spondylosis — Fusion of vertebrae often leading to chronic pain.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Observe dogs for subtle and overt signs of discomfort or behavior changes.
- Document daily activities and physical indicators with photos/videos.
- Encourage collaboration with veterinarians and provide detailed evidence.
- Request veterinary trials of pain medications when pain is suspected.
- Learn more about the Dynamic Dog Protocol for comprehensive pain assessment.