It’s terrible watching your pet suffer, especially when you’re not sure how they’re in pain. They can’t speak, which means they can’t tell you exactly what’s wrong. Instead, their behavior changes. A dog suffering from chronic pain may exhibit increased aggression, anxiety and lethargy. Or, in other cases, your dog may not show any signs that they’re in pain at all. This is why observation is so important. When something seems off, it’s likely because it is.

When our pets are in pain due to an illness or injury, we as pet parents want to do all that we can to make it better. It’s never fun to see our pets suffer, but sometimes, our efforts to help can do even more harm.

Some days, it’s hard to tell where your dog gets all of their energy. It sometimes seems like they can run, jump and roll around for hours without stopping. Unfortunately, even the most energetic dogs can overdo it. One wrong twist or landing could result in a painful injury.

Whether from an acute injury or a chronic condition like arthritis, pets experience pain in the same way humans do. What’s worse is that, unlike humans, pets don’t have the agency to seek relief from their pain and might suffer for longer as a result.

Limping is never a good sign, and it may be easy to feel worried or distressed when signs of limping begin to show in your beloved companion dog. While a veterinarian visit is most likely inevitable, you may want or need more information before making the decision to take your dog in for medical attention. The more you know about your dog’s limping, the easier the veterinarian’s job will be in order to start the process of diagnosis and treatment.