22/09/2026
Day 2 of Animal Pain Awareness Month: Noticing Change & The Subtle Signs of Chronic Pain 💚
Chronic pain can be surprisingly easy to miss.
As humans, we’re often very good at recognising acute pain; a yelp, a sudden limp or an obvious injury. Chronic pain, however, often develops gradually and can show itself through much subtler changes in behaviour, capability, gait, posture and physical appearance.
What makes it even trickier is that dogs are incredibly good at adapting. If one leg hurts, they may simply shift more weight onto the other three. Signs can also look very different from one dog to another.
Take behaviour. This can be one of the earliest signs of chronic pain, but also one of the most varied.
One dog experiencing discomfort might appear hyper, fidgety or constantly on the go. It can be easy to think, ‘They can’t possibly be in pain, they run around all day!’ But activity and excitement doesn’t necessarily rule pain out; for some dogs, keeping busy may act as a distraction from discomfort, or keep endorphins high to act as a natural pain relief.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, another dog may become more irritable, touch-sensitive or noise-sensitive, less social, less playful or simply a little quieter than usual.
Often, it’s not one dramatic symptom. It’s a subtle change from their normal.
Identifying chronic pain can feel a little like working out an incomplete puzzle. Individual changes may not mean much on their own, but when several pieces start appearing together, they can begin to build a bigger picture.
Other potential signs can include:
🐾 Restlessness or pacing
🐾 Panting out of context
🐾 Difficulty with transitions, such as sit-to-stand or lying-to-standing
🐾 Hesitating before an activity, such as climbing stairs or walking over certain surfaces
🐾 Standing with an unusually wide or narrow stance
🐾 Repeated licking or attention towards a joint or area of the body
What should you do if you suspect chronic pain?
If you notice changes in your dog, even subtle ones, it is worth discussing them with your vet. Identifying the source and being proactive with management can make a huge difference.
Taking videos can be incredibly helpful too, particularly because dogs often move and behave very differently at the veterinary practice compared with at home.
Veterinary physiotherapists can also be a valuable part of the team. They are highly skilled in musculoskeletal assessment, gait and posture analysis and can work alongside your vet to help identify and manage changes early.
Resources that can help 💚
Canine Arthritis Management (CAM) is a veterinary-led educational platform dedicated to helping owners better understand arthritis and chronic pain.
Their website has lots of practical information, including guidance on identifying signs of pain:
https://caninearthritis.co.uk/what-is-arthritis/identifying-the-signs/
They also run a fantastic Facebook support group for owners of dogs living with arthritis: Holly’s Army - Dog Arthritis Support
Sometimes the first sign of pain isn’t a limp. It’s simply noticing that your dog is doing something differently.
The video is of team dog Nola, who is 4 years old and is currently undergoing investigations for suspected hip pain. Her first signs were also subtle, a tightness behind her shoulders, alongside scratching, nibbling and fly-biting/suddenly turning to look at specific areas around her hindlimbs which you can see in the video.
