Why Does My Dog Groan?
Some dogs vocalize more than others, and that’s perfectly normal. Typically, dogs belonging to hound breeds are known for groaning more than others are. Some dogs groan so much that their owners are accustomed to listening to them groan every now and then. On the other hand, some dogs rarely groan, and their owners get concerned about them when they do.
Groaning is not associated with any disease, but some cases may represent an issue. You need to consider the age and health of your dog before arriving at a conclusion about why he is groaning. Old-aged dogs groan because they get exhausted quickly compared to young and middle-aged dogs.
Groaning in dogs is a sign that they want attention and love from their pet owner. Sometimes it is also a reaction to receiving the love they sought for a while. Your dog can groan after you petted him or gave him a slight kiss. To actually know the underlying reason behind your dog’s groan, you have to know your dog well. Some dogs owner can easily decipher the meaning of their canine friend’s groans, and some may take ages to know what’s going on in their fur buddy’s mind.
Some conditions in dogs that may increase their groaning are mentioned below:
- Panosteitis (Growing pain)
- Osteoarthritis (Joint pain in old aged dogs)
- Ascites (fluid in the abdomen)
- Some illness
- Seeking attention
- It might belong to the hound breed
Conditions that cause dogs to groan:
Now we will investigate each of the factors above and explain why it causes groaning:
1. Panosteitis
Panosteitis is a condition where your dog’s bones might be going through rapid growth. When dogs’ bones grow more rapidly than their bodies’ capacity, it causes severe pain. Panosteitis causes severe discomfort to dogs initially, and the pain often gets unbearable, but eventually, the dogs’ bodies adapt to it, and the pain starts to alleviate. The extreme pain makes the dog cry out of discomfort, and now you know why your dog might be groaning when he’s getting larger.
By no means does the information mentioned above state that whenever your dog groans, you should believe that he might be getting larger. This information is just for you to know why your dog might be groaning. For a proper diagnosis, you should take your dog to the veterinarian.
2. Osteoarthritis
A common type of arthritis in dogs, Osteoarthritis is a joint disease where the loss of joint cartilage and thickening of joint capsule occurs. It is a degenerative and progressive disease that worsens with time. Some common symptoms of this chronic disease are stiffness, lameness in one or both the legs, sore joints, and reluctance to walk on stairs.
These symptoms make your dog feel overwhelmed and devastated, which is why your dog might start groaning out of exhaustion and pain.
3. Ascites
Also referred to as abdominal effusion, ascites is the medical term for the buildup of fluid in the abdomen of a dog. When the fluid builds up in the space between your dog’s chest wall and lungs, it might cause your canine friend to go through some symptoms, like groaning when lying down, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, weight gain, anorexia, lethargy, and loss of interest in eating.
4. Some Illness or Disease
Painful diseases might be the reason your dog is relentlessly groaning! Your dog might be suffering from an internal disease, and he might make use of groaning to vocalize his pain. While changing positions or making specific movements, your dog might be experiencing more soreness.
The groaning might confuse you when the internal disease is undiagnosed. This is why, when you notice your dog whining, go to a veterinarian and get your dog’s checkup done.
5. He Might Belong to Some Vocal Breed
Your dog might belong to a vocal breed, like the hound breed, which is more vocal than others. Dogs belonging to this breed can moan out of comfort when they lie down after a long day or when they are getting love from their owners. In some cases, your dog might even whimper out of disappointment. Your dog might potentially have more mood swings than you do!
6. He might be seeking attention
Your dog can keep whining and moaning until he gets that pat on the back from you. And yes, they are very stubborn about it; they won’t stop until they get what they want! Dogs crave your love, and if they don’t get it timely, they might be disheartened and then seek your attention by grumbling and sighing.
So, if you know your dog seeks your love and attention after a short time span, then don’t hesitate to give a slight peck on his forehead, play with him for a while, or treat him with his favorite snack.
What to Do If My Dog Is Groaning
Now that we are done analyzing some common causes of groaning in dogs, we will see what you can do about it. If your dog is groaning more than usual, take him for a checkup to the veterinarian. The vet will be able to pinpoint the root cause of the groaning problem by asking you a couple of questions related to your pet’s groaning habits. He also might suggest getting some medical tests done to have more clarity on the groaning problem.
But if you are cognizant that your dog occasionally groans to seek your love, then you should be more tolerant towards your dog, and instead of asking him to tone down the voices, you should shower him with some love!
