All dog lovers will recognize the “stretch and shake” — the long stretch, followed by an invigorating whole-body shake that most dogs give when they get up from rest. But did you know changes in that behavior, or its absence, are a vital clue that a dog is in pain?
Dr. Sheilah Robertson, Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, gave a presentation on pain management in animal shelters at the 2011 University of Florida Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Conference. She showed video of dogs suffering from various kinds of pain, which illustrated exactly how changes in the shake can give observers clues as to how much pain a dog is in and where the pain is located.
Maddie’s InstituteSM recorded Dr. Robertson’s presentation for our Conference Recordings Center. To view the “stretch and shake” segment of that recording, you can click here or on the image below. To view her complete presentation, click here.
