In fact, the researchers found that barely half of dog owners are able to identify symptoms such as nighttime restlessness and clinginess. 'When in pain, dogs may behave unpredictably and react to stimuli that they usually would not react to with aggression. The first case study described a dog with subtle pain signs, the second described a dog with overt pain, and the third described a dog with no pain. 'Also, signs that we deem funny, may indicate discomfort or pain in a dog, like a dog licking the air.' 'This may indicate that dog owners recognise subtle dog pain signs with less ease,' the team explained.

Source: Daily Mail April 01, 2026 18:10 UTC