Below are three specific behaviors you should watch for. If your dog continually displays just behaviors to may want to seek veterinarian care for your pooch!

1. – Poor Coat Quality
Dogs don’t groom themselves as much as cats do, but they still try to keep themselves relatively clean. If you notice your dog’s coat is getting duller and greasier, it might be because they aren’t grooming themselves as they should be. This could certainly be a sign of pain, as it can be uncomfortable for your dog to bend and reach areas they normally would.

2. – Unwarranted Aggression or Avoidance.
Sudden aggression can be caused by a variety of issues, but pain is definitely one of them. If you notice your dog is shying away from affection and being picked up, it might be because they’re experiencing discomfort from touch. Dogs generally all love a good petting, but if your dog suddenly becomes aggressive when being touched, the chance of pain being the cause is very high.

3. – Shallow Breathing.
General discomfort leads to shallow breathing and even heavy panting. Just like you, being in pain certainly makes it harder to do anything else, even breathing normally. If you see your dog breathing funny or panting heavily when they’ve had no activity and it’s not hot out, you might want to have them checked by a veterinarian to rule out pain as a cause.

Some problems might be s simple as constipation but others can be far more serious. As always, if you do not see your pooches behavior improving after a few days it might be time to take him into be seen by a veternarian. You just can’t be too carful!

For more possible ailments and odd behaviors please go to I Heart Dogs and check out what they have to say with regard to your dog’s good or bad health.

After all, we want our best friend and furry family member with us for a long time!