Change in Behavior in a Dog: Teddy’s Subtle Symptom

Do you think it is significant if your dog changes their behavior, however subtle the change might be?

What if your dog stops doing something they always did or starts something new and strange? Could there be medical significance to it? Indeed, there usually is.

A new aggression, or what looks like one, is commonly related to pain.

Teddy’s story

Teddy was a seven-year-old Norfolk Terrier. He has always been a happy, sociable, good-natured boy who never showed any signs of aggression. Teddy was used to his mom, picking him up for all sorts of reasons, including getting on mom’s lap for cuddles. Teddy loved cuddles and being close to his humans.

The change

When Teddy snarled when his mom picked him up, it came as a confusing surprise. At first, she looked for direct explanations. Did Teddy snarl because she picked him up wrong, and it hurt him? Or was he so tired that picking him up disturbed his rest?

Those things could perhaps explain an isolated snarl, but Teddy started objecting every time his mom tried to pick him up. Something must have been bothering Teddy. Could he be sick? There were no other concerning signs, but his mom decided to see a vet nonetheless.

The veterinary visit

The veterinarian took Teddy’s history. Teddy seemed healthy. He was drinking and eating normally, his pee and poop were normal. However, when the veterinarian touched his belly, Teddy growled and became anxious. Immediately, it was apparent that picking him up was causing Teddy pain.

Now the task was to figure out the source of Teddy’s pain. That can be quite difficult—a dog cannot explain how it hurts and where the pain is coming from. From the examination, it seemed clear that the painful location was Teddy’s mid-back area. Teddy had no objections to being touched and manipulated anywhere else on his body.

Teddy’s diagnosis

It was time to employ diagnostic imaging to try and figure out the problem. Even though he didn’t expect any major findings, the veterinarian decided to start with an ultrasound. It is the easiest and least invasive way to look inside the body. So it happened, though, that the ultrasound showed the problem immediately—Teddy had sandy sediment and tiny stones in his kidneys and bladder.

Strangely, dogs suffering from kidney stones have all sorts of symptoms, especially related to urination. But in Teddy’s case, pain, manifested through snarling behavior, was the only sign.

Typical symptoms of kidney or bladder stones include:

• changes in urination (frequent peeing of small amounts)
• painful urination/difficulty urinating
• blood in urine
• frequent UTIs

Teddy’s treatment

The veterinarian put Teddy on a special diet and Teddy started improving.

Teddy’s case shows how important it is to pay attention to any potential signs of illness. Not every dog is a textbook case, showing the symptoms you would expect.

Source story:
Teddy the Seven-Year-Old Norfolk Terrier

Related articles:
Symptoms To Watch For In Your Dog: Changes In Behavior

Further reading:
Is Your Dog’s Bad Behavior Caused by a Health Problem?