A follow up on Ted, and the impact that treating and managing pain can have on behaviour.....a happy tail! Literally!
As a follow up to my previous blog exploring the influence of pain and discomfort on behaviour I thought you’d all like an update on Ted. Ted is a real life case of a little dachshund who has had some musculoskeletal issues which were not considered an issue at one point and were dismissed as a “dachshund trait” or “sitting with sass.” More in depth blog on pain and behaviour and Ted's story here: Can chronic pain really cause behavioural issues? (perfectlypolitedachshunds.com).
I’m sharing this to raise the awareness of how much musculoskeletal issues, no matter how subtle can influence behaviour. The jerk of an unknown dog approaching, the pull back when your dog reacts, the bash of a paw, being lifted up……its not surprising they become defensive when people or dogs approach….they make an association between pain and what caused that (in their minds) and then they become defensive…..then they generalise that to other situations and then you have a reactive dog at the end of the lead or on the sofa where the behaviour can lead to habit, fear or frustration if not addressed early on.
If a trainer or behaviourist raises a concern about a medical issue or potential for pain, they are not fobbing you off. They may be vague even if it is glaringly obvious to them as they are not qualified or allowed legally to diagnose. They may not see what the issue is but recognise the pattern, or lack of and are speaking from experience when they say they are concerned. Don't dismiss their view, trust it. Referring back to a vet is the sign of someone putting the dog first!
Similarly your vet only has a short amount of time to examine your dog, and many dachshunds are already tense prior to examination. Whilst an issue may be (unfortunately common in a breed, it doesn't mean its ok! Collect videos, keep a diary and write down your observations to share with your vet to make their jobs easier. I am currently nearing the end of a course which I hope will enable you to advocate for your dogs and support your vets when it comes to diagnosing.
Ted
I won't retell Ted's whole story, take a look at the other blog if you want the background. But in brief - Ted had struggled with his behaviour for some time, he was highly reactive and very protective over himself and his family, to anyone. I’ll never forget Kim’s post of desperation on UKMD facebook group which led me to reach out and offer some support. Admittedly at the time I didn’t realise the rollercoaster we would go on, and that Kim would become one of those I call a friend.
At the time I raised concerns over pain but checks deemed him fit and healthy so we started the journey into addressing his behaviour. Ted did make progress with his behaviour, but not enough given the level of dedication Kim was putting in. Whilst behaviour modification can be slow (and often has to be to address the cause of the issue), if there is an underlying medical issue it is hard to really make consistent progress…..which is why I bang on about it!
Anyway, eventually his limb deformity became very obviously an issue, and after some foot stamping and advocating for Ted, Kim managed to get people to listen and he was referred. This is where things got emotional for all of us. In brief, Ted was eventually diagnosed with angular limb deformity, osteoarthritis in his elbows and hip dysplasia at 3 years old. These things would have been causing him a huge amount of discomfort for some time.
Unfortunately as Kim had raised concerns over Ted’s leg when he was younger, despite the vet saying it wasn’t an issue it was noted. When Kim upgraded Ted’s insurance.....with the same company... this was listed as pre-existing and that leg wasn’t covered as essentially the upgrade acted as a new policy. This was never explained clearly to Kim when she was trying to be responsible and ensure her dogs had better coverage. (Word of warning to you, before changing or updating your policy look at your vet history first and make sure you have in writing that any pre-existing issues are covered if you upgrade!)
Ted needed surgery on his front leg. It was unstable, struggling to weigh bear and was clearly painful. But because it was raised before a policy upgrade, it wasn’t covered. This led to Kim reaching out to everyone in pure desperation. Amazingly everyone raised enough for Teds op, but there was an amazing anonymous donator who covered the remaining amount. The generosity of people literally saved Teds life. The unspoken conversation - without the surgery, the pain would have got to a point where decisions would have had to have been made especially when his behaviour was deteriorating and he was clearly becoming unhappy. I'll never forget Kim saying "Sharon, what do I do, the insurance won't cover it, he can't live in pain like this." I saw her complaints, her desperation, the exhaustion of yet another fight to deal with....and yet she stayed so strong! What a warrior! The people who came together to help her will never know how many lives they changed through their generosity!
Jumping forward Ted had surgery, had a bit of a hellish recovery because of an open wound but then eventually settled down and was able to build up on his walks again. As always Kim and family worked diligently on working on his mobility and paired that with behavioural training.
The messages started coming in…..”oh my god, Ed (husband) was just talking to a neighbour and Ted didn’t care,” “oh my god, he just…..”
This just showed how much his leg had given him grief and how he was trying to communicate to everyone around him...."please don't come near me, it hurts!"
We were thrilled....we were starting to see the real Ted again and he was wonderful!
AND THEN……the messages started. I always know when Kim's instincts kick in. She knows her dog but prior experiences have knocked her confidence. She sometimes needs a little encouragement to trust her gut and seek help!
“Pain definitely impacts his behaviour and responses…..he’s been crate hiding all day!” and then “Ted’s right hip is really struggling.”
We knew this would come, his hips were awful, but he's still so very young and it was so soon after his leg op. It didn't seem fair that problems started again so soon after seeing improvements.
At this point Ted was starting to avoid walks again and was starting to become grumpy again. We know with Ted when he changes like this something hurts. And so back to the vets to ask for Librella.
Librella is an injection which helps to manage pain caused by arthritis. More information here: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-approves-first-monoclonal-antibody-dogs-osteoarthritis-pain. People have mixed views on it, but I know for many it has been a real life saver.
He had his first injection towards the end of August 2024. Kim continued on his behavioural training whilst listening to Ted’s needs. Ted wears a muzzle when out in public for a variety of reasons. She took a long time muzzle training so Ted isn't bothered by wearing it. Muzzling Ted is the responsible thing to do of course but the muzzle gives confidence to train within Ted’s threshold but allows for human error. It allows her to relax when dogs or people approach and whilst she still works with him and advocates for him, just as if he’s not wearing a muzzle, and it means that Ted can have positive experiences with other dogs more and more. Its also a really good visual cue to people not to try to stroke him.
Yesterday – 7th September 2024, on a prearranged meet up with graduates of my barking course Ted arrived…..and……well I’ll let the pictures and video below speak for him.
Kim didn’t think she’d ever have the chilled happy dog just enjoying a walk with other dachshunds and many other breeds on the beach. She didn’t think he’d cope when other daxies who hadn’t had any training yet started having loud conversations. She certainly didn’t think that when I approached and walked alongside with a youngster who was struggling a bit yesterday that he would be the stooge dog I’d use to help that dog.
So after years of training, she finally saw her commitment paying off, she finally saw that now his medical issues are managed, (his hips will only ever be managed sadly), she finally saw the Ted we all know he can be. And now the dog she called “the Beast…..is simply the Best!”
Ted's training is ongoing. But he wouldn't have got there without Kim and her wonderful family, the support from the amazing dachshund community and his fan club. Ted is an ambassador for all dogs who are struggling and need their humans to advocate for them just as Kim and her family have. Well done Team Ted.
If you suspect pain, speak to your vet about a pain medication trial, get videos of any movement issues, or weird positions they lie in. Write down your observations so you don't waffle. Research suggests a pain medication trial for 6 weeks to assess whether pain is influencing behaviour and if that doesn’t help don’t assume its not pain, but potentially the wrong medication. It won’t fix the issue, or the behaviour, but it should dramatically reduce issues and allow you to put your behavioural training into action. Links to the research are in the other blog listed earlier.
Just a note, don't assume if you don't have behavioural issues there is no discomfort. Some dogs just get on with it, just like us, some people mask the pain - it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt!
Whilst I would never wish pain on any dog, the reality is research has found that 80% of cases referred have an underlying medical issue - usually pain related. You can do all the training in the world, but if there is an underlying issue, realistically your progress will be limited.
If your dog does need treatment that involves surgery or extended periods of rest, please reach out to Dedicated to Dachshunds for support with equipment and to a behaviourist to support you with reintegration back to the world after they have served their rest period - here's a blog on what to expect if your dogs are rested for a period of time: https://www.perfectlypolitedachshunds.com/post/the-behavioural-aftermath-of-ivdd-and-other-conditions-needing-confinement-for-recovery-and-how-to-m
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