Lumbosacral disease is common in canine patients, and clinical signs are associated with narrowing of the spinal canal and pressure on the nerves that exit the spine. The potential causes are varied and can include arthritis, intervertebral disc herniation, an infection in the disc, trauma, congenital malformation, or a spinal tumour. Lumbar and lumbosacral pain in dogs is often linked to multiple concurrent spinal pathologies, making it difficult to identify the primary source of pain. One study published in 2025 stated that, “Our findings suggested that imaging alone is not always sufficient to determine pain sources, as some dogs with spinal abnormalities did not exhibit pain, while others with pain showed no clear MRI pathology”.

A review article in JFMS also reported limitations of both clinical examination and imaging in identifying pain in feline patients. For these reasons, excluding the possibility of the presence of pain through purely physical health-related diagnostic tools is not possible, and details about the patient’s behavioural responses both at home and within the veterinary context can provide valuable additional information. This presentation will consider how an understanding of emotional and cognitive health can help the veterinary practitioner to identify and monitor lumbosacral-related discomfort and thereby enhance the detection and treatment of lumbosacral disease in canine and feline patients.