Why Humidity Is the Hidden Risk Most People Miss

Panting relies on the difference in moisture content between the wet surface of your dog’s airways and the external environmental air passing over them.  When the humidity in that surrounding air is already high, that gradient begins to collapse. The environment simply isn’t allowing panting to work efficiently.

The combination that causes the fastest deterioration is moderate temperature plus high humidity plus physical exertion.  Exercise generates internal heat through muscle activity, independent of environmental conditions. Whether it’s a working dog, a sport dog, or a dog who’s just had a run in the park, they’re managing a dual heat load: external environmental heat and the internal heat produced by metabolic work.  Both have to be dissipated through the same mechanism.

There is also a post-exercise lag that many owners are completely unaware of.  Core temperature continues to rise for a period after exercise stops, because the muscles are still releasing heat while the body tries to cool.  A dog who looks fine the moment they stop running may reach peak core temperature several minutes later.  This is when the risk window is highest.

Which Dogs Are Most at Risk

Risk is not equal across all dogs, and understanding the factors that increase vulnerability matters practically. Not because lower-risk dogs are safe, but because higher-risk dogs need proportionally earlier precautions.

Breed

Brachycephalic breeds (flat-faced dogs including Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Boxers) have altered upper airway anatomy that mechanically limits airflow and makes panting less efficient.

Research confirms they are significantly overrepresented in heat-related illness cases. 

Excess body fat acts as insulation, trapping heat internally.

Research suggests that overweight and obese dogs show earlier signs of thermoregulatory strain during exercise.

This is a manageable risk factor.

Both puppies and older dogs have less efficient thermoregulatory systems.  Seniors may also have concurrent health conditions that further reduce heat tolerance.

Neither extreme of the age spectrum should be pushed in warm conditions.

Working dogs, sport dogs (flyball, agility, canicross), and highly active pet dogs are managing internal heat load on top of external heat.  Research indicates that post-exercise risk windows extend well beyond the end of activity.  

Heavy double coats provide some insulation against radiant heat from above, but they can also trap heat against the body in hot, humid conditions.  The relationship is not straightforward, and coat alone does not confer protection.

Dogs who have experienced heat-related illness before have higher risk of recurrence.  The physiological reason for this is not fully understood, but the clinical pattern is consistently observed.  Prior heatstroke is never a detail to overlook.

Hidden Risks People Do Not Think About

When people think about heat risk, they tend to picture a dog in a hot car, or a dog exercising on a summer afternoon. Both of those are valid concerns.  But the indoor and after-exercise environments carry risk that often goes entirely unacknowledged.

Inside the Home

• A thermostat reading does not tell you what the air is doing in every part of your house. Conservatories can exceed outdoor temperatures substantially through solar gain. 
• Upstairs rooms trap rising warm air. 
• Crates create micro-environments where airflow is restricted and heat and humidity accumulate. 
• Indoor sports halls used for training have no evaporative benefit and may have no ventilation at all.
• Grooming dryers blow hot air directly onto dogs whose coat has already trapped ambient heat.

None of these environments show up in a standard weather forecast.

The practical framework to apply in any indoor environment covers four factors. Temperature, humidity, airflow, and time.  A warm room with good airflow and low humidity may be manageable for short periods.  A warm room with poor airflow, high humidity, and an extended stay is not.

After Exercise

The post-exercise temperature lag is one of the most consistently underestimated risks in canine heat management.  Because the dog looks finished, owners assume recovery is happening. But physiological recovery from a heat load takes time, and the window between stopping exercise and reaching peak core temperature is when many dogs deteriorate. A dog who is panting heavily after a run should not be put straight back in the car.  They need genuine cool-down time in a ventilated space before any enclosed environment.

A car is not a cool-down space.  Even with windows open, a parked car in warm conditions generates rapid heat accumulation.

The post-exercise dog needs a cool down, moving air, shade, and access to cool water.

Recognising Heat Stress Before It Becomes Heatstroke

This distinction is the one that matters most clinically.  Heat stress and heatstroke are not the same thing, and recognising the difference in real time changes the outcome.  Heat stress is the body working hard to maintain its temperature.  Heatstroke is the point at which that effort has failed and organ-level damage begins.  The window between the two is narrow, and in some individuals it can close faster than people expect.

Research consistently shows that owners miss early heat stress signs because those signs look like a tired dog.  By the time the signs are obvious, the situation is already advanced.

Signs of heat stress.  The body is working hard but has not yet failed.  This is your intervention window:

• Panting that seems out of proportion to what has just been asked of the dog
• Panting that does not slow down after rest
• Tongue that appears wider and flatter than usual, or very dark red in colour
• Saliva that is thick or ropy rather than watery
• A dog who seeks shade or lies down and refuses to move
• Restlessness or unusual clinginess

These signs are situation dependent and dog dependent.  Know your own dog.  If you are seeing anything that feels off for them, move them to a cool, ventilated space, begin cooling, and monitor closely.  Do not wait to see if they improve on their own.

Signs of heatstroke.  Thermoregulation has failed and organ-level damage is occurring.  This is a veterinary emergency. Continue cooling, call your vet immediately and tell them you are on your way.

• Glazed, unfocused expression
• Any wobbling, weakness in the hindquarters, or loss of coordination
• Vomiting or diarrhoea
• Muscle tremors
• Loss of consciousness or collapse
• Seizure

Cool the dog while someone else calls the vet, or call on the way.  Do not delay transport waiting for the dog to respond to cooling.

Research classifies heat-related illness from mild through to severe based on clinical signs and outcome.  Survival rates of 94.5% in moderate cases drop to 43.2% in severe cases.  Those numbers tell you everything you need to know about why catching this early matters.

If you have been told to use only tepid water, or to stop cooling once the dog seems better, that advice does not reflect what the research now shows. The full evidence-based cooling guidance, including which methods work, in what order, and how to monitor during cooling, is covered in the Emergency Response module inside The Canine Advocates Community.

What the Evidence Actually Tells Us

Research suggests that the dogs dying from heatstroke in the UK are not exclusively brachycephalic dogs left in cars during heatwaves. They are dogs from a wide range of breeds, with their own individual risk profiles, presenting at a wide range of temperatures, and they are presented to vets too late because their owners did not recognise what was happening until the signs were severe.

Temperature alone is not the rule.  Humidity, airflow, your individual dog’s breed, anatomy, body condition, age, activity and fitness level all matter.  Learning to recognise the difference between a dog who is working hard and a dog whose system is starting to fail is something every owner must do.

The Bottom Line

The best thing you can do this summer is learn your dog’s baseline.  Know what their normal panting looks like, sounds like, and how long it typically takes them to settle after exercise.  That baseline is your reference point.   Anything that falls outside it deserves your attention.

Hydration Is a Balance

How water moves between cells and their surroundings

Water can cross cell membranes directly, but much of its rapid, regulated movement occurs through channel proteins called aquaporins.

Aquaporins are found in tissues throughout the body, including the kidneys, brain and skin. They increase the membrane’s permeability to water, allowing it to move in response to osmotic gradients.

The direction of that movement matters.  Aquaporins do not actively pump water into a cell or decide where water is needed. They provide a pathway through which water can move in either direction according to the surrounding physiological conditions.

Aquaporin function can be altered in particular diseases and physiological states, although these effects are tissue-specific and should not be used alone to infer a dog’s overall hydration status.

The role of electrolytes

Water movement between the body’s fluid compartments is strongly influenced by dissolved particles known as solutes.  Electrolytes, including sodium, potassium and chloride, are an important part of this system.

Sodium is the principal positively charged ion in extracellular fluid, while potassium is found predominantly inside cells.  Differences in their concentrations help establish the osmotic and electrical gradients required for normal nerve, muscle and cellular function.

These gradients are maintained partly by the sodium-potassium pump, a protein in the cell membrane that uses ATP to move sodium out of the cell and potassium into it. This is essential cellular physiology, but it does not mean that healthy dogs routinely require additional electrolyte supplementation.

Most healthy dogs eating a complete and balanced diet receive the electrolytes they need. Additional electrolyte products should not be given routinely without an appropriate reason, because too much or too little of an electrolyte can itself disrupt fluid balance.

Much of the ATP used by cells is produced through oxygen-dependent metabolism.  During severe oxygen deprivation, critical illness or significant energy failure, the sodium-potassium pump may become impaired and abnormal fluid shifts can occur.

That is a feature of serious cellular dysfunction rather than the normal changes involved in everyday fluid balance.

“Electrolytes help the body regulate water distribution, but more is not automatically better, and healthy dogs should not routinely need supplementation.”

What Dehydration Can Look Like

Possible signs of dehydration include dry or tacky gums, reduced skin elasticity, sunken-looking eyes, weakness, lethargy and changes in urination.  However, these signs are not equally reliable in every dog and may become more apparent only as dehydration progresses.

Skin elasticity can be affected by age, body condition and individual differences.  Gum moisture may be altered by panting, salivation or nausea.  No single home check can confirm or rule out dehydration.

The dog’s recent history is therefore extremely important.  Vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, prolonged panting, reduced drinking, increased urination or sudden weight loss may all indicate that fluid balance has been disturbed.

Reduced energy, slower recovery and stiffness are nonspecific.  They may accompany many different health problems and should not be interpreted as evidence of cellular dehydration without veterinary assessment.

Puppies, older dogs and dogs affected by illness may be less able to compensate for fluid losses.  Dogs exercising in warm conditions, panting heavily or experiencing vomiting or diarrhoea may also lose water rapidly.

Some medical conditions and medications can increase thirst or urination.  A noticeable change in either should be discussed with a vet rather than managed simply by changing the dog’s water.

Supporting hydration in everyday life

Constant access to clean, fresh water remains the foundation.  Water should be refreshed regularly, and bowls should be cleaned thoroughly to encourage normal drinking.

A complete and balanced diet should supply the electrolytes most healthy dogs require. Additional electrolytes are not routinely necessary and may be inappropriate for dogs with certain medical conditions.

Food also contributes to total water intake.  Dogs eating wet food obtain more water through their diet, while dogs eating dry food generally compensate by drinking more. Neither diet automatically means that a dog is well hydrated or dehydrated.

Pay particular attention during hot weather, exercise, travel and illness.  Monitor how much your dog is drinking, but also look for vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive panting, increased urination or a sudden reduction in intake.

Contact your vet if your dog develops lethargy, persistent vomiting or diarrhoea, abnormal thirst or urination, weakness, changes in appetite or suspected dehydration.  These changes may indicate an underlying problem that water alone cannot correct. 

Hydration depends on maintaining the balance between water intake, water loss and the body’s normal fluid regulation.

Where this leaves us

Most healthy dogs with unrestricted access to fresh water and a complete diet regulate their fluid intake effectively. Drinking normally is reassuring, but it cannot rule out dehydration when illness, heat, exercise or abnormal fluid losses disturb the balance.

The important distinction is between normal fluid regulation and a situation in which water losses begin to exceed what the dog can replace.  Recognising that difference helps owners respond to genuine changes without assuming that every variation in energy, recovery or stiffness is caused by hydration.

Water, electrolytes, circulation, oxygen and cellular metabolism are physiologically connected.  Understanding those relationships matters, but one biological connection should not be used to assume another without supporting evidence.

For owners, the practical message is straightforward, provide constant access to fresh water, pay attention to meaningful changes in drinking and fluid loss, and seek veterinary advice when something changes significantly or suddenly.

REFERENCES & FURTHER READING

• American Animal Hospital Association. 2024 AAHA Fluid Therapy Guidelines for Dogs and Cats: Section 2—General Fluid Therapy Principles. 2024. AAHA Fluid Therapy Guidelines
• Merck Veterinary Manual. The Fluid Resuscitation Plan in Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual
• Nielsen S, Frøkiaer J, Marples D, Kwon TH, Agre P, Knepper MA. Aquaporins in the kidney: from molecules to medicine. Physiological Reviews. 2002;82(1):205–244. doi:10.1152/physrev.00024.2001. Physiological Reviews
• Álvarez P, Blasco E, Pumarola M, Wessmann A. Aquaporin-4 protein expression in normal canine brains. BMC Veterinary Research. 2021;17:29. doi:10.1186/s12917-021-02745-9. BMC Veterinary Research
• Pirahanchi Y, Jessu R, Aeddula NR. Physiology, sodium potassium pump. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. Updated March 13, 2023. NCBI Bookshelf
• Bogdanova A, Petrushanko IY, Hernansanz-Agustín P, Martínez-Ruiz A. “Oxygen sensing” by Na,K-ATPase: these miraculous thiols. Frontiers in Physiology. 2016;7:314. doi:10.3389/fphys.2016.00314. Frontiers in Physiology
• Sires R, Yamka R, Wakshlag J. Feeding fresh food and providing water ad libitum is clinically proven to exceed calculated daily water requirements and impact urine relative supersaturation in dogs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2025;12:1675990. doi:10.3389/fvets.2025.1675990. PubMed

Oxygen is one of those things we take completely for granted.

Oxygen is not optional

Every cell in your dog’s body requires oxygen to produce energy.  Cells use oxygen as the final electron acceptor in a chain of chemical reactions that converts glucose into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the molecule that powers virtually every active process in the body: muscle contraction, tissue repair, brain function, immune response, nerve signalling, digestion, and cellular maintenance.¹

Without adequate oxygen, cells can’t complete this process efficiently.  They can switch to anaerobic glycolysis, an alternative oxygen-independent pathway, for short periods, but this comes at a cost.  It is slower, produces far less ATP per unit of glucose, and generates acidic byproducts that accumulate and disrupt normal cellular function.  The body isn’t designed to run on this backup system for long.

“Breathing normally tells you that oxygen is entering the body. It does not tell you whether that oxygen is reaching the tissues that need it most, in the concentration required, at the time it is needed.”

This distinction matters because oxygen entering the body and oxygen reaching the tissues that need it are two very different things.  The rest of this article explores what happens between those two points.

Where oxygen goes when it enters the body

From breath to blood

When your dog inhales, oxygen crosses the thin membrane of the alveoli in the lungs and binds to haemoglobin in the red blood cells.  Haemoglobin carries it through the cardiovascular system and releases it into tissues as blood flows through the capillaries. How efficiently that happens depends on several factors, including blood flow, haemoglobin levels, and the condition of the receiving tissue.

Healthy, well-perfused tissue with good blood flow receives oxygen reliably.  Tissue that is inflamed, compressed, poorly vascularised, or damaged doesn’t.  Inflammatory processes can alter microcirculation and increase tissue swelling, restricting oxygen delivery at exactly the moment the tissue most needs it to heal.²

Why some tissues receive less than others

Not all tissues are equal when it comes to oxygen delivery.  The heart and brain are served by dense vascular networks and receive priority supply.  Peripheral tissues such as tendons, ligaments and subcutaneous fat are less richly supplied and tend to be the first to feel the effects when oxygen availability is compromised anywhere in the system.

Cartilage is a particularly instructive example.  Adult articular cartilage is avascular, meaning it has no direct blood supply and relies on diffusion from synovial fluid and surrounding tissues for oxygen and nutrients.³ Chondrocytes, the cells responsible for maintaining cartilage, are well adapted to this naturally low-oxygen environment.  The issue isn’t that cartilage needs more oxygen, it’s that it depends on a carefully regulated oxygen tension.  When that balance is disrupted, whether through inflammation, altered joint mechanics, or abnormal changes in oxygen availability, chondrocyte metabolism can be impaired and cartilage breakdown can follow over time.  Balance, in other words, is everything.^3,4

The body’s oxygen sensor

Your dog’s body doesn’t simply accept whatever oxygen is available and make do.  It has a sensing mechanism that monitors oxygen levels in tissue and responds when they fall.  The key molecule in this system is HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha), which has been identified and studied in dogs as well as humans.^4,5

When tissue oxygen drops below a certain threshold, HIF-1α is activated, triggering a cascade of responses designed to increase oxygen delivery: stimulating the growth of new blood vessels, adjusting cellular metabolism, and regulating the inflammatory response.  In the short term, this is a healthy adaptation and part of how the body initiates healing and responds to physical stress.^4,5

The problem arises when this system is chronically activated.  When tissue oxygen is persistently dysregulated, not because of an acute event but because of ongoing inflammation, poor circulation, or cumulative physical load, it can impair the very processes it was designed to protect. Too little oxygen and tissue repair stalls. Too much, in the wrong context, and the regulatory system itself becomes disrupted. It is the balance that matters, not simply the presence of oxygen.^3,4,5

The oxygen picture in everyday dogs

This is where it becomes relevant to your dog, not just as a biological concept.

Many dogs seen in clinical practice may not be operating at their full capacity for repair, recovery and resilience. Not because they’re seriously ill, but because the demands placed on their tissues, including exercise, age, mild chronic inflammation and suboptimal hydration, can create a cumulative picture where oxygen availability at a tissue level simply isn’t where it could or should be. The dog appears well, they eat, they play, they carry on like everything is fine, but at a cellular level the conditions for efficient repair and recovery may be quietly falling short.

In younger, highly active dogs this is often compensated for by sheer cardiovascular fitness and recovery capacity. In older dogs, in dogs with any degree of chronic inflammation or joint disease, in dogs carrying extra weight, in dogs exposed to heat and humidity, and in dogs competing at high intensity without enough recovery time between sessions, the gap can become more significant. It rarely produces obvious symptoms, but it consistently shapes how efficiently the body repairs, how quickly it recovers, and how well it holds together over time.

What optimal oxygen availability actually looks like.

Optimal oxygen availability isn’t about flooding the body with more of something it already has. It’s about ensuring that the tissues that need it most are receiving it reliably, in adequate concentration, and in a form they can use, while preserving the delicate balance of oxygen tension in tissues like cartilage that depend on it.

That means good cardiovascular function, adequate hydration, appropriate bodyweight, and movement that supports circulation without creating the kind of inflammatory load that then restricts oxygen delivery. We’ll return to the question of how oxygen bioavailability can be actively supported in a later article.

And one of the biggest factors influencing oxygen delivery is something most owners rarely think about correctly, hydration. In the next article we’ll look at why drinking enough water and being genuinely hydrated at a cellular level are not necessarily the same thing.

Did you know, that when a dog feels excessive and prolonged stress or anxiety, it can cause actual physical pain?

Spare a thought for our rescue dogs whose whole world has been turned upside down.  Try to imagine how heightened their emotional pain feels when added to existing chronic pain.

What Does Pain Mean for Rescue Dogs?

You could argue it’s easier to spot the signs of pain in your own dog because you already know all of their little nuances, what’s normal and what’s not.

With a rescue dog however, this can be more challenging because you might not have any previous history and you’ve yet to get to know this latest furry addition to your family, as you welcome them into their furever home.

To appreciate why there might be a difference in the pain experienced by a rescue dog versus a dog that you’ve nurtured from a puppy, we need to understand that emotional pain causes actual physical pain.  Whatever the environment those dogs came from they will still experience emotional upheaval.

If you’d like to dig a little deeper into this subject I recommend Loesers Pain Model 1980, illustrated below, as a start point.

just The sensation of pain is based on a perception involving many factors, not least of which is the social environment a dog finds themselves in, and their past experiences.

Rescue centres do a wonderful job but from a dogs perspective they are a new environment, with new routines, there are new people, new sounds, new smells, new food, new dogs.  It can simply cause sensory overload and many dogs struggle to cope.  You may have heard people say that some dogs simply shut down.

Even when these dogs are rescued by those very special, new pet parents, and brought to live in the most wonderful loving homes there is still a period of emotional adjustment.

Remember your home is also a new environment, with a new routine, there are new people, new sounds, new smells, new food, and possibly new pets.

It’s amazing how cleverly our dog’s bodies adapt to cope with changes in their emotional, physical and biological environments.  This coping mechanism works so well that signs of pain often go undetected.

Why Do Dogs Hide Pain?

It’s thought that dogs hide pain so as not to disclose any weaknesses which could make them vulnerable.  It’s a natural survival instinct.

Some people describe their rescue dogs as being stoic, but in reality, they may be suffering from chronic pain in silence, hidden beneath the instinctive, will to remain safe.

Some also say that dogs in general have a higher tolerance for pain.

But do they?  Or do they just relay pain signals using a different language?

Do Many Rescue Dogs Suffer Pain?

It’s difficult to know how many rescue dogs suffer from pain.  What we can say with a degree of certainty is that dogs of all ages, breeds, and abilities will experience pain at some point in their lives.

How to Tell if  Your Rescue Dog is in Pain

There are a huge number of signs that any dog is in pain or discomfort.  These are a few.

• Loss of appetite
• Refusal to drink water
• Excessive urination
• Sustained Diahorreah
• Vomitting
• Gum colour change (pale or blue)
• Change in temperature
• excessive panting/drooling (not exercise related)

Common Signs of Musculoskeletal Pain:

• Limping or lameness
• Stiffness on the move
• Appear old before their time
• Reluctance to jump
• Slowing down on a walk
• Arching back, known as roaching or a dipped back known as swayback
• The back leg/knee sticking out to the side in a sit
• Twitching skin down their back
• Sudden snapping at other dogs/people
• Self-mutilation.  E.g. Nibbling their back end.
• Noise sensitivity, anxiety

If you are worried at all about the health of your dog, speak with your vet immediately! 

What Can You Do To Reduce the Risk of Musculoskeletal Injury?

*Clinical Massage is a results-driven, clinically proven therapy used to release tight sore muscles, reduce pain, anxiety and stress levels, and improve mobility, giving you healthier, happier dogs!

“her desire to walk dropped to zero followed by catastrophic muscle loss – we were seriously considering putting her to sleep”

How I Came to Know Jessie

I first met Jessie many years ago when Dr Steve Humphreys, agreed that I could massage Jessie as one of my case studies, helping me to complete the 2 year Clinical Canine Massage Practitioner Programme.  Jessie is a rescue, and thought to be a Border / Wire Fox Terrier cross.  At the time she was likely around 4 years old.

Incidentally, Jessie taught me a lesson they don’t teach you in class.  Because massage triggers the rest and digest response, dogs will pay you little “compliments” when you least expect them.

In Jessies case, phew, thank goodness for windows.

An Odd Gait

Jessies mum and dad hadn’t noticed any particular issues but during the consultation they mentioned that when she ran she would throw her back left leg out to the side.

During this consultation which included a series of questions about Jessies every day activities, home environment, gait and postural analysis, I found that Jessie was very tight around her back legs and mid to lower back.  She was also compensating around her neck and shoulders.

After just one treatment Jessie was already more mobile and happier.

But, after the three recommended treatments this odd gait irregularity hasn’t returned.  Her mum noticed that her footfall pattern in the sand on her beach walks was straight and even.

We were amazed that Angela was able to instantly build rapport and trust with Jessie (and with us!), so that she would allow Angela to manipulate her tissues, etc, even when it was uncomfortable for her.

Jessie came back regularly, twice a year for her maintenance massage just to keep her nice and supple.

What Happened Next Was a Total Shock

Several years later I received a call from Jessies dad while they were away on holiday.  He told me that Jessie couldn’t use her legs properly, she was really wobbly and sometimes falling over.  I told them to contact a local vet immediately for an opinion and take a few seconds of video to show to the vet in case they needed to refer to Jessies own vet back home.

The Vets Conducted Thorough Investigations

The holiday vet was unsure as to what was going on and referred Jessie back to her own vet.  Of course, mum and dad cut the holiday short and drove straight back.  Jessie was immediately referred to Dick Whites a phenomenal specialist referral centre in Newmarket where Jessie underwent a series of tests: Muscle nerve biopsy, Xrays, MrI’s and blood tests.

Jessie then suffered critical muscle loss.  But despite the tests unfortunately the reason for this event was no clearer.

Jessie had developed a highly fatigable gait with aII four legs affected, which manifested very suddenly” “Her desire to go for a walk dropped to zero, along with her ability to jump, climb stairs and walk with any pace.  This of a dog that we normally couldn’t tire post two 4-5 mile walks a day was incredibly distressing.   A short period of no exercise was followed by catastrophic muscle and weight loss over her whole body. We were seriously considering having her put to sleep!

With Vet Consent I Continued to Support Jessie and Her Family

I have never witness muscle loss like it.  It was very distressing to Jessie like this but had to remain focused on getting her better.  At this stage without a diagnosis, I didn’t know what would help. 

With the kind permission of Dick White Referrals I supported Jessie with massage and gentle sustained exercises to rebuild muscle and muscle memory, and was there for her mum and dad through what was a very tough couple of months for them.  I just wanted to be there for them, to reassure them, to help, or even just offer an outlet when they needed to talk over next steps.

In combination with diagnostics at Dick White Referrals, Angela worked in a very kind, gentle and consistent way with Jessie.  She explained everything she did in a way that we understood and trusted.

 

Angela supported us for months during Jessie’s’ rehabilitation with advice on regular exercises we could do at home as well as making herself available when we needed urgent appointments.

She really helped raise our confidence through the exercises and therapy she conducted that Jessie’s health could indeed return to normal.  We are very pleased to report, that our little doggies health has been restored and that it is clearly sustainable.

As a result of experience with Angela Day we have had no hesitation in recommending her to friends and family with dogs that can benefit from her skills and knowledge.

Drs Mandy and Steve Humphreys

So How is Jessie Now?

And…… she is still, without doubt, the most “complimentary” dog I’ve ever massaged.  and I wouldn’t change that for the world! 

Are You Worried About How To Manage Your Dogs Pain Long Term?

I may be able to help.

I’m Angela Day owner of Born to Run based in Suffolk.  I’m a Canine Massage Practitioner, Clinical Trials Contributor, IRVAP, IAAT & Canine Massage Guild member, plus CCA Licensed Coach.

Massage is a results-driven, clinically proven therapy, used to release tight sore muscles, reduces pain, and improve mobility, giving you healthier, happier dogs!

If you’d like to chat about any concerns you have I’d love to hear from you. Click here to get in touch.

Not in Suffolk?  Don’t worry we have a national network of clinical therapists ready to help you.  Find your closest therapist on the IRVAP, IAAT or Canine Massage Guild Register

Angela Day,   MCICM (grad), CM (Dip), MIAAT, MIRVAP (MT)

“Clinical Canine Massage Significantly Reduces Pain Severity in Dogs”,

Study by University of Winchester Finds

You love your dog and want him or her to live their best possible life, right?  It’s only natural to want to make sure that your dog feels well.  Although, sometimes it’s really difficult to know for sure if they do.  But, there are everyday clues to understanding pain in dogs.  We just need to know what we’re looking for when observing them go about their daily business.

In this guide, I’ll take you through some of the subtle and most common signs that may mean your dog is experiencing musculoskeletal pain.

Did you know Muscles pull on bones to produce movement?

In order to understand the impacts of pain on your dog’s movement and activity levels, it’s important to appreciate that it’s the muscles that produce movement in the body.  Not only that, but we need to also understand just how much of your dog’s body is actually made up of muscle.

This step-by-step guide highlights some of the most common and often overlooked, indicators of pain in dogs.  But before we look at these let’s first understand what pain is and why it exists.

What is Pain?

Well, the first thing to understand is that pain is very normal and it doesn’t discriminate.  Dogs of all ages, breeds, and abilities will experience pain at some point in their lives.

So, in a nutshell, pain is the body’s defence mechanism, a feeling, and even though it’s an unpleasant feeling, it helps to keep your dog safe from harm.

Pain is both powerful and effective because it changes how your dog moves, thinks, and behaves.

So, when the brain genuinely “perceives” the body is at risk of harm, it sends out signals to make the “at risk” area of the body hurt.  It then ensures the body takes evasive action, for example taking the weight off an injured leg.

How Long Does Pain Last?

Well of course, that totally depends on the manner of the threat to the body whether a disease, an illness, an emotion, an injury, or trauma.  But, what I can tell you is that there are generally two timelines used to describe pain; acute or chronic.

So, what do these terms mean for your dog?

What Is Acute Pain?

Acute pain comes on very suddenly like a “pulled” or strained muscle and could potentially last up to 6 months.

It’s generally expected that acute pain disappears once the injury has healed, or the illness which caused the pain has gone away.

What is Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain usually lasts longer than 6 months.

So, even though an injury may have healed, pain could continue for months or even years.  E.g. because osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition, this would cause chronic pain.

Let’s quickly recap what we’ve covered so far;

• Between 45 – 55% of your dogs body is made up of muscle.
• Muscle pulls on bones and it’s muscle that produces movement
• Pain is a normal but powerful survival instinct
• Pain changes how your dog moves, thinks and behaves
• Acute or chronic describes how long your dog’s pain lasts
• The central nervous system controls pain   – and phew, we’re not going down that road today!

Pain In Dogs: How Can I Tell If My Dog Is In Pain?

It’s amazing how cleverly our dog’s bodies adapt to cope with any changes in their muscular or skeletal environment.  But these adaptations, such as overcompensation, can disguise how your dog really feels.

So, if they hide it so well, how will you know your dog is in pain?

There are some key areas widely recognised in the veterinary world to consider when assessing your dog for pain.

Here are 5 of them.  Movement, posture, activities of daily living, character or behavioural changes, and for the working, service, or sport dog this would include the dog’s willingness to perform.

Before we dive into these 5 key areas, please bear the following in mind.  Notable changes are changes that are not normal for your dog,  whether these are gradual or sudden.

Signs of Pain in Dogs

1. How a dog moves

This is called their gait, and Gait is the dynamic movement of your dog.  Gait terminology is a whole language all of its own.  Specific terms such as walk, trot, and canter are widely used in the show world, and by vets and musculoskeletal therapists.  But it’s just a way of describing the type of movement and the speed at which your dog moves.

These are 5 of the most common movement changes caused by pain.

• Limping or lameness
• Crabbing, pacing, etc,.
• Stiffness on the move
• Hopping or skipping
• Slowing down on a walk

2. Posture

As opposed to gait, these are things you’ll notice when your dog is stood still.  This could be in a stand, a down, or a sit.  Here are some of the changes things you might see if your dog is experiencing pain.

• Your dog may have an arched back, Which is called roaching or kyphosis, or maybe they have a back that dips in the middle which is called swayback or lordosis.  This incidentally is a very common indicator of a weak core.
• You may see coat/fur changes; the coat flicking up or zig zagging unusually in new areas
• Your dog may only lay to one side in a down
• Their back leg/knee may stick out to the side when they sit
• You might see twitching skin down your dogs back

3. Changes In Daily Activities 

No one knows their dog better than you, right?

Changes in your dog’s ability to perform daily activities is when you should sit up and take notice!

If your dog does things every day without a problem, you will notice when those things become more difficult, challenging, or just plain painful for your dog.  Most people brush it off.  

Although you might not feel these things are relevant, they could prove invaluable to your vet or therapist in determining the source of pain.  I wonder if you’ve noticed any of these?

Does your dog :

• Appear old before their time
• Groan getting up or lying down
• Drop to the floor with a bump ( This is indicative of a weak core)
• Seem unable to get on the sofa or climb stairs
• Slow down, lag behind or refuse to go on walks
• Have difficulty defecating without moving in circles or your male dog may squat to pee

4. Behavioural Changes

Sudden changes in your dog’s behaviour or demeanor are a huge clue to the presence of pain.  Speaking with experienced behaviourists I discovered that up to 80% of “out of character aggression” cases referred to them were found to be pain-related behaviours.  I suspect this number could be higher.  Here are some of the changes you may see as described by behaviourists and vets:

• Sudden snapping at other dogs or even people
• Not happy to be groomed
• Self-mutilation.  Your dog may nibble at their back end, back, wrist or even pull on their tail.
• Lick granuloma. Excessive licking in one particular area until it becomes raw.  This then often leads to infection.  Which is treated, but the underlying soft tissue issue isn’t resolved.
• As I saw with my elderly husky who was bulletproof until his last year with us, he became noise-sensitive, and anxious.  Very often pain in dogs can also manifest in them becoming withdrawn.

5. Unwilling To Work

Dog sports enthusiasts and handlers of working dogs know when there are changes in performance, that something isn’t “right”.

Here are a couple of indicators commonly reported from each sector.

• Agility:  Dogs will knock poles, move into the weaves all wrong, or come out of the weaves early.  They will measure at jumps or leap over them like they’re 2oft high or 20ft long or take them too wide.
• Running randomly around a competition or training arena in “excitement”???

Sorry, no that’s displacement, anything to avoid the anticipation of discomfort or pain.  (I know for many that viewpoint will be a trigger).

In a trained agility dog, your dog is not being naughty it’s the number one way they know how to communicate their discomfort and pain to you.

• Cani-cross/Sled dogs: Early-onset fatigue, reluctance to get into harness, throwing a leg.
• Gundogs:  Early-onset fatigue, retrieval issues, reluctance to get in the vehicle.
• Flyball:  Turning wide on the box, slower times missing/avoiding hurdles.
• Service Dogs:  Reluctance to get in the vehicle, early-onset fatigue, lack of drive poor work ethic.

What Can You Do To Reduce The  Risk of Injury and Pain In Your Dog?

So you think your dog may be in pain?

If this article has made you recognise changes in your own dog, don’t panic. Many of the signs we’ve discussed can have different causes, but they’re all worth paying attention to. The earlier problems are recognised, the sooner you can seek appropriate advice and support.

Continue Your Learning

If you’d like to understand what those changes might mean, and learn how to spot problems before they become painful, expensive or life-limiting, I’d love to welcome you into The Canine Advocates.

Inside you’ll learn The Healthy Dog Method™, my evidence-based approach to helping dog owners recognise subtle changes, understand what they’re seeing, and make more confident decisions about their dog’s health.

👉 Join The Canine Advocates

Need Personal Help?

If you’re worried about your own dog, or you’d like personalised support following an injury, diagnosis or surgery, you can also work with me directly.

👉 Work with Angela

Cruciate Ligament Injury In Dogs

I used to think that cruciate injury was a human problem.   You know, one of those injuries responsible for benching a footballer for the season.  But it’s really common in dogs too.

Even though a ligament is a ligament in structure, humans and dogs tend to injure theirs in different ways.  How so?  Well, in humans, cruciate damage is usually caused by sudden physical trauma, for example, as a result of a sports injury.

In dogs, disease more commonly causes cruciate injury than sudden trauma.  So, this means over time diseased ligaments fray, and become ropey and weak. In these cases, even a small amount of force can rupture the ligament.

What Are These Things They Call Cruciate Ligaments?

Ligaments are incredibly, strong, fibrous tissues that connect bone to bone all over the body.  They are designed to limit movement.  In other words, they stabilise the movement of the bones which they connect.

Cruciate ligaments are found in the knee, or stifle, as it’s known in the dog, and they help to stabilise the stifle joint.  They even have their own names.  The cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) and the caudal cruciate ligament (CaCL).

Do you know damage to a ligament is called a sprain?  Therefore, cruciate ligament damage is actually a sprain, and yet we throw the word sprain around like it’s no big deal.  Sprains are really painful and are graded according to the level of severity of the damage they’ve suffered.

There Are 4 Grades of Sprain

I   :   Minimal tear

Ok, so we’ve covered what a ligament is, where the cruciate ligaments are, what they do, that they have fancy names, that in dogs a cruciate injury is thought more likely to be caused by disease, and that there are 4 grades of injury.

What does the science say about the likelihood of my dog sustaining a cruciate rupture?

Factors Contributing to Cruciate Disease

Over Exercising.  Exercising a dog to the point of exhaustion is not conducive to maintaining healthy joints, muscles, tissue nor is it helpful for a dog’s emotional wellbeing.

Early Neuter/Spay    Research has found that early neuter/spay has a negative effect on the development of ligaments, bones, and joints.

Hormonal Imbalance   Could this be connected to early neuter/spay?

My Thoughts…..

Could early neuter/spay have a bigger part to play in the disease of the cruciate ligaments than we think?

And….  If the weight and breed of our dogs are contributing factors, could cruciate injury also be a mechanical failure of the stifle joint due to the size of the breed and their leg shape?

How Do You Know Your Dog Has A Cruciate Injury? 

• Sudden crying out in pain
• Lameness/hobbling
• Can’t weight bear on the affected leg
• Swelling – heat – inflammation
• Lagging behind on a walk
• Doesn’t want to straighten the leg
• Sitting with the leg sticking out to one side

The Diagnosis

Your Vet will manually test the knee for excess movement.  Sometimes X-rays are also used to find the cause of pain, instability, and or lameness.

It’s Confirmed!  Cruciate Injury, What Next?

Well, that depends on the grade of injury.

Your Vet will recommend the best way forward.  The decision will be based on your dog’s medical history, the grade of sprain, age, weight, fitness, health, and lifestyle.

Grades I & II may be managed conservatively with anti-inflammatories, weight control,  physiotherapy, clinical massage etc,.

Grades III & IV will need surgery.

The most common cruciate surgeries performed in the UK today are the tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA), and tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO).

Cruciate Injury Surgical Options

   Image Credit: Fitzpatrick Referrals

Fitzpatrick Referrals website is a brilliant resource if you’d like to know more about cruciate surgery procedures and they also have helpful videos too.

What Can You Do To Limit the Risk of Sprain?

There are more factors involved in cruciate injuries in dogs than sudden trauma to the joint.

Here are 5 quick wins that you can control which will help your dog to avoid injury

1   –    Don’t over-exercise your dog

2   –    Keep them a healthy weight

3   –    Keep the muscles around the joints mobile, supple, strong, and healthy.

4   –    Cover slippy floors at home!!!

5   –    Stop Ball Launching

Are You Worried About How To Help Your Dog Long Term?

I may be able to help.

I’m Angela Day and I founded Born to Run based in Suffolk.

I’m a Small Animal Rehab specialist, Canine Massage Practitioner and Core Conditioning Instructor.  Core conditioning is an incredible low impact means to keep your dog fit for life and help prevent injury.

Rehabilitation and Massage treatments combined successfully release tight sore muscles, reducing pain, and improving mobility helping dogs return to full function after surgery.

If you’d like to chat about any concerns you have about your dog I’d love to hear from you. Click here to get in touch.

Angela Day,   MCICM (grad), CM (Dip), MIAAT, MIRVAP (MT)