5 Myths About Chronically Ill Dogs (That Make Things Harder)
- Fruzsina Moricz
- Jan 6
- 10 min read
About 2.98 million dogs in the UK are living with arthritis – yet only 16% are brought to a vet in the early stages, and 78% aren’t seen until the disease is already advanced.[7]
That gap isn’t just about money or busyness. It’s also about myths: “He’s just slowing down,” “She’s old, of course she’s stiff,”
“It’s not that bad yet.”
Misconceptions like these quietly shape when we call the vet, how seriously we treat symptoms, and how we judge ourselves as caregivers. And for chronically ill dogs, those beliefs can make life harder – for them and for us.
This article looks at five of the most common myths about chronically ill dogs, what the research actually says, and how a clearer picture can take some weight off your shoulders.
Myth 1: “Purebred dogs are always sicker than mixed breeds”
This one sounds plausible, so it spreads easily: mixed-breed dogs are “healthier,” purebreds are “walking vet bills.”
A major study from the Dog Aging Project and Texas A&M looked at more than 27,000 dogs and 53 different health conditions.[1] For 26 of those conditions, there was no significant difference in overall disease frequency between purebred and mixed-breed dogs. Common issues like osteoarthritis and dental disease appeared at roughly similar rates in both groups.
Some important nuances:
Certain breed-specific diseases are more common in particular purebreds (for example, some heart diseases or orthopedic problems).
But when you zoom out to “overall health,” the picture is much more balanced than the myth suggests.
Lifestyle, body weight, dental care, parasite prevention, and early screening play a huge role in whether a dog develops chronic illness – regardless of pedigree.
Why this myth matters
If you believe “mixed means healthy,” you may:
Dismiss early signs of illness (“He’s a mutt, he’ll be fine”)
Delay routine bloodwork or screening
Feel blindsided or even cheated if your mixed-breed dog develops a chronic disease
If you believe “purebred means doomed,” you may:
Live in constant, vague dread about your dog’s future
Overinterpret normal quirks as signs of serious disease
Blame yourself for choosing a purebred dog
A more accurate mental model:
Breed can change which diseases a dog is more likely to get. It doesn’t guarantee if they’ll get sick – and it doesn’t cancel out the impact of everyday care.
That’s a calmer place to stand: aware of specific breed risks if they exist, but not waiting for disaster or assuming immunity.
You can use this with your vet by asking:
“Given my dog’s breed and age, which chronic conditions are actually more likely?”
“What screening schedule makes sense for this dog, not just for ‘purebreds’ or ‘mutts’ in general?”
Myth 2: “If my dog were really sick, I’d know”
Many chronic diseases in dogs are quiet for a long time. By the time something is “obvious,” the condition may already be advanced.
Conditions that can be asymptomatic or subtle early on include:[9]
Kidney disease
Heart disease
Some cancers
Vector-borne diseases (e.g., tick-borne illnesses)
Early osteoarthritis and joint disease
Dental disease
In the UK arthritis data, only 16% of dogs were brought to the vet in early stages; 78% weren’t seen until symptoms were advanced.[7] Many owners later reported they had noticed changes – but had filed them under “normal aging” or “he’s just lazy.”
Common early signs owners often reinterpret as “personality” or “getting old”:
Sleeping more, or avoiding certain games
Hesitating before jumping into the car or onto furniture
Slower to get up after resting
Subtle changes in gait or posture
Less interest in longer walks, but still willing if pushed
Why this myth sticks
We live with our dogs daily. Tiny changes blend into the background. And culturally, we’re taught:
“Dogs are tough; they don’t complain.”
“Old dogs are supposed to slow down.”
“If it were serious, it would be obvious.”
Veterinary professionals, however, repeatedly report that owners underestimate the severity of chronic disease and delay visits until things are harder to treat.[7][9]
A more realistic approach
Instead of “If it were serious, I’d know,” try:
“If something feels off, it’s worth a conversation – even if I can’t prove it’s serious.”
You might say to your vet:
“She still walks, but something in her movement feels different. Can we check for early arthritis?”
“He’s not sick exactly, but his energy and enthusiasm have changed. Could that signal anything chronic?”
This isn’t catastrophizing. It’s using your close knowledge of your dog as early data – and letting your vet decide whether it needs investigation.
Myth 3: “That’s just old age – pain is normal”
One of the most harmful myths for chronically ill dogs is the idea that pain is an inevitable, untreatable part of aging.
Research from the UK suggests:[7]
At least 2.98 million dogs are affected by arthritis.
Only 16% are brought to a vet in the early stages.
40% of owners don’t feel confident recognizing early arthritis signs.
In 78% of cases, dogs are first seen when arthritis is already advanced.
Veterinarians also report that nearly half of owners misunderstand arthritis and are reluctant to commit to long-term management.[7]
The result: dogs live with more pain than they need to, for longer than they should.
What “just old age” can actually mean
When we say “He’s just old,” we might be describing:
Chronic joint pain (arthritis, hip dysplasia, spinal issues)
Dental pain from periodontal disease
Heart disease causing fatigue and exercise intolerance
Kidney disease causing nausea, weight loss, and lethargy
None of these are “normal,” even if they’re common.
The tricky part: dogs are good at adapting. They don’t always cry or limp dramatically. Instead, they:
Stop doing painful activities
Become “grumpy” or withdrawn
Lick or chew at certain joints
Change how they lie down or get up
Seem “stubborn” about stairs or car rides
Why this myth is emotionally loaded
Believing “pain is just old age” can feel strangely protective:
It allows you to avoid the fear of a diagnosis.
It spares you from thinking about long-term medication or costs.
It postpones scary conversations about prognosis or euthanasia.
But it also quietly increases caregiver burden. You may feel:
Frustrated with your dog’s “behavior”
Guilty without knowing why
Haunted by the sense that something isn’t right
Reframing helps:
Old age is not a disease. Many age-related problems are treatable, and even when they’re not curable, pain can almost always be reduced.
With your vet, you can ask:
“Which of these changes might be pain rather than just age?”
“What options exist for ongoing pain management – medications, lifestyle adjustments, supplements – and what are realistic goals?”
You’re not signing up for perfection. You’re aiming for less pain, more good days, and fewer regrets later.
Myth 4: “If I were a better owner, this wouldn’t be so hard”
This is the quiet myth that rarely gets said out loud, but shows up in the middle of the night when the dog won’t eat, or you’re cleaning up another accident, or you’re wondering if it’s “time.”
Research across several studies is clear:[2][4][6][8]
Owners of chronically or terminally ill pets show significantly higher levels of caregiver burden, anxiety, and depression compared to owners of healthy pets.
Caregiver burden includes:
Time demands (medications, appointments, monitoring)
Financial strain
Emotional strain (worry, anticipatory grief)
Social isolation (staying home more, friends not understanding)
Decision fatigue (treatment choices, when to recheck, when to stop)
These emotional burdens are linked to poorer owner quality of life and psychosocial functioning.
In other words: if caring for your chronically ill dog feels heavy, that doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’re experiencing a well-documented psychological load.
The guilt spiral
Studies also show:[8]
Owners who feel they’re not providing “optimal” care report higher guilt and distress.
Dog behavioral issues (aggression, fearfulness, anxiety) are associated with worse owner mental health scores like anxiety and depression.
There may be a feedback loop where stressed owners and struggling dogs affect each other emotionally.
That can look like:
You feel overwhelmed, so you avoid difficult vet conversations.
Your dog’s symptoms or behavior worsen.
You feel more guilty and anxious.
You withdraw further, and support feels even harder to access.
None of this means you’re failing. It means you’re human, attached, and under strain.
What helps (and what doesn’t)
Unhelpful internal scripts:
“Other people manage this better.”
“If I really loved her, I wouldn’t feel resentful or tired.”
“A good owner wouldn’t be thinking about money.”
More accurate replacements:
“Caring for a chronically ill dog is emotionally taxing for almost everyone. That doesn’t reduce how much I love them.”
“Feeling overwhelmed is a signal I need more support, not proof I’m failing.”
Support can look like:
Asking your vet: “Can we simplify this treatment plan?”
Scheduling a dedicated “quality of life” discussion instead of squeezing it into a rushed visit.
Seeking pet caregiver support groups (many exist online) or talking with a therapist about caregiver burden.
Letting a trusted friend handle one vet visit or medication round occasionally.
Research is still catching up on how best to support owners in this role – but it’s very clear that the burden is real, not a character flaw.[2][4][6][8]
Myth 5: “I can trust my instincts over vets and ‘over-testing’”
Instinct is valuable. You know your dog intimately. But some common beliefs about when to seek veterinary care and what counts as “too much testing” can quietly get in the way of good chronic care.
The “only when they’re sick” approach
A widespread misconception is that veterinary care is mainly for obvious illness or vaccines.[9]
Many owners assume:
Routine bloodwork is only for “old” or clearly unwell dogs.
Screening tests are optional unless something looks wrong.
Annual exams are mostly about shots, not early disease detection.
The reality: many chronic diseases are easier and cheaper to manage when caught early.[9] Routine exams and periodic lab work can pick up:
Early kidney changes before drinking/urination changes are noticeable
Subtle liver abnormalities
Early heart changes
Mild anemia or inflammation
Vector-borne diseases before they cause major damage
There’s also a set of persistent symptom myths that can mislead owners:[3][5][11][13][15]
Myth | What research and vets say |
“A dry nose means my dog is sick.” | Nose moisture varies with environment, sleep, and activity. A dry nose alone is not a reliable health indicator. |
“Dogs catch colds like humans.” | Dogs don’t get the human common cold, but they do get their own respiratory infections. Coughing, sneezing, or nasal discharge deserves a vet’s attention, not human cold medicine. |
“Human pain meds like ibuprofen are fine in small doses.” | Ibuprofen and many other human meds are toxic to dogs and can cause kidney failure, ulcers, and more. Always check with a vet before giving any medication. |
“If he’s eating, it can’t be that serious.” | Many dogs continue eating through significant pain or illness. Appetite is only one piece of the puzzle. |
Why we mistrust “more tests”
On the owner side:
Fear of costs
Worry about bad news
Past experiences where tests felt unhelpful
On the veterinary side, research shows:[7][9]
Vets struggle with owner reluctance to commit to long-term chronic disease management.
There’s tension between wanting to catch disease early and respecting owners’ financial and emotional limits.
You’re not wrong to think about costs or to ask, “What will this test change?” In fact, that’s a useful question.
A collaborative way to approach it:
“What are you looking for with this test?”
“If it’s positive or negative, what would we do differently?”
“Are there any ‘good enough’ monitoring options if we can’t do everything?”
This shifts the conversation from “testing vs. no testing” to “What level of information is enough for us to make reasonable decisions?”
The invisible myth: “My dog’s emotional life doesn’t affect their illness (or mine)”
While not always stated outright, many care decisions are made as if dogs are purely physical beings and owners are just logistics managers.
Current research suggests otherwise:[2][4][8][16][18]
Dogs can experience anxiety, fear, and depression-like states, especially when in chronic pain or facing major life changes.
Owners’ mental health and dogs’ behavior seem to be linked. Higher owner anxiety and depression scores are associated with more dog behavior problems (like aggression or fearfulness).[8]
Pets often provide strong emotional support to humans with chronic illness – but the reverse is also true: owners draw emotional stability from their dogs, and illness can shake that foundation.[10][12][14]
This doesn’t mean you’re making your dog sick by being stressed. It does mean:
Your emotional health and your dog’s well-being are intertwined.
Supporting one often helps the other.
Practical implications:
If your dog’s behavior changes (more clingy, more withdrawn, more reactive), mention it to your vet as part of the chronic illness picture. It’s not “just behavior”; it may be pain, confusion, or anxiety.
If you notice your own mental health slipping – persistent sadness, anxiety, irritability, or feeling numb – that’s relevant to your dog’s care too. A more supported you can make clearer, kinder decisions.
It’s completely legitimate to say to your vet:
“I’m struggling with all of this. Can we talk about what’s essential versus optional in his care plan?”
“I need help thinking through quality of life and euthanasia without feeling like I’m abandoning her.”
Veterinarians themselves report emotional strain working with chronically ill animals and distressed owners.[2][7] Many genuinely want to support you as a whole caregiver, not just your dog’s lab values.
Living with chronic illness: replacing myths with steadier questions
No article can remove the difficulty of watching a dog live with a long-term illness. There will still be 3 a.m. worries, messy days, and decisions that don’t feel clean.
But shedding a few myths can make the ground under your feet more solid:
Your dog’s breed is part of the story, not the whole script.
Quiet or “age-related” changes are worth attention, not automatic dismissal.
Pain is not just “old age”; it’s often treatable, and reducing it is a real, meaningful goal.
Feeling burdened doesn’t mean you love your dog any less; it means you’re carrying a documented weight.
Instinct and the internet are not substitutes for professional guidance – but your lived experience of your dog is vital data your vet can’t get anywhere else.
Your mental health and your dog’s comfort are connected, and both deserve care.
If you take one thing from the research, let it be this:You are not supposed to do this perfectly. You are supposed to do it together – you, your dog, and your veterinary team – with as much information, honesty, and compassion as you can manage at the time.
That is more than enough to count as good caregiving.
References
Creevy, K. E., et al. (2024). “Health outcomes in purebred and mixed-breed dogs: Findings from the Dog Aging Project.” Frontiers in Veterinary Science (Texas A&M University & Dog Aging Project).
Spitznagel, M. B., et al. (2017). “Caregiver burden in owners of a sick companion animal: A cross-sectional observational study.” BMJ Open.
Petful. “Common Dog Health Myths Debunked by a Vet Tech.”
PetMD. “Caregiver Burden in Pet Parents with Chronically Sick Dogs.”
Beyond Pets Animal Hospital. “Common Dog Myths (Dry Nose, Grain Digestion, and More).”
Kent State University. (2017). “The Emotional Burden of Caring for a Sick Pet” – study on stress, anxiety, and depression in pet owners.
VetClick (UK). “Misconceptions Affecting Dog Arthritis Diagnosis and Management.”
Owczarczak-Garstecka, S. C., et al. (2023). “Owner mental health linked to dog behavioral issues.” Scientific Reports (Nature).
The Vetiverse. “Misconceptions About the Necessity and Timing of Veterinary Care and Testing.”
CreakyJoints. “The Emotional Support Pets Provide to People with Chronic Illness.”
dvm360. “Veterinary Pain Myths and Misconceptions.”
Brooks, H. L., et al. (2018). “The power of support from companion animals for people living with mental health problems: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of the evidence.” BMC Psychiatry (via PMC).
Dominion Valley Animal Hospital. “The Dry Nose Myth in Dogs.”
Psychology Today. “Dog Owner Attachment and Mental Health: How Our Relationships with Dogs Affect Us.”
Bhatt Veterinary Specialty. “Common Pet Myths Debunked.”
dvm360. “Animal Emotional Well-being and Mental Health.”
PetMD. “Cost Misconceptions of Pet Chronic Health Problems.”
Lake Anna Veterinary Hospital. “Pet Anxiety and Depression: Signs and Considerations.”
Paw & Order. “Common Misconceptions About Pet Care.”
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