Boxers and Pain: 9 Telltale Signs


Logan -posted by Kristen

 

How do you know if your boxer is in pain?  After my boxer went through a surgery, my veterinarian asked me to monitor her very closely for signs of pain or discomfort.  When I asked, “how will I know if she is in pain?”  He replied, “she will act out of character.”  My first thought was I know my girl, so that shouldn’t be too hard.  While I monitored her closely, I realized it was hard to tell and remembered that dogs usually hide pain (because it is a sign of weakness).

So, I Googled “how to tell when a dog is in pain.”  I came across very little valuable information.  However, I did find a pdf from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) that I felt was helpful.

The article indicated 9 areas with examples to monitor for pain:

  1. Vocalization
  2. Activity Level
  3. Self-Protection
  4. Daily Habits
  5. Facial Expressions
  6. Aggressiveness
  7. Self-Mutilation
  8. Grooming
  9. Posture

After doing a little reading, and in combination with knowing my boxer, I realized I knew exactly what the veterinarian meant.  Of course, like people – every boxer is unique and handles pain differently.  For my girl, she was panting, pacing and/or standing still staring.

Did you find the telltale sign that your boxer was in pain?  If so, what did they do? Email us at [email protected]

-posted by Alicia