Change in dog behavior

Question
QUESTION: Dear Jill,

I have a chow mixed with a German Sheppard who is about 10 years old (in December).  She has always been a mild, well behaved dog that likes to do her own thing.  We often compare her characteristics to those that resemble cats. She is an indoor/outdoor dog, in other words, she is fine outside all day and likes to sleep in the house at night.  However, we have had her in the house more, as winter is beginning to set in.  This is not an unusual routine as annual do the same thing around this time.  

Well within the last two weeks she has begun to act a bit different.  She now prefers to sit right next to us.  There were rooms that she would never enter (like my mothers) and now she goes in there all the time.  After we took a walk on Monday, we came back in, she ate her dinner, and then came and stood next to me.  She was shivering as if she was really cold.  We were in the house, the heat was on, and she has all her fur, so this did not make sense to us.

Is there anything you would recommend before we go to the vet and have her tested???

Thank you for your help.

Kind regards,

Christina

ANSWER: This sudden change in behavior needs the attention of the veterinarian ASAP.  Your dog may be experiencing pain (it sounds as if she is.)  A full orthopedic evaluation and a full blood chemistry and neurological evaluation are needed.  Something is WRONG.  At her age and breed mix, hip problems are a likely cause, but there could be other things going on.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello Dr. Jill,

We do plan to take her to the vet, but my mother wants me to ask if she would make some sort of noise to show she is in pain...

Thank you for your reply thus far...

Christina

Answer
Dogs OFTEN do NOT offer ANY demonstration of pain; this may seem odd to us, but in the dog culture there are very valid reasons (as pack animals they respond to a genetic behavioral pattern and the demonstration of weakness, illness, etc. does not promote survivability in the pack.)  Your dog IS demonstrating pain (apparently) and MUST SEE the veterinarian.