Dr. Cynthia Maro: September is Pet Pain Awareness Month
September is Pet Pain Awareness Month. It seems like humans should not need pet pain education and that recognizing pain in their pets would be a no-brainer. Surely pet owners would be able to tell when their beloved companions are in pain and that should be enough to establish awareness, right?
Actually, the answer is, “no!”
Pet owners have a difficult time recognizing pain, because they expect that animals will demonstrate similar symptoms to humans. Unfortunately, due to evolutionary adaptations, animals often hide their pain very well. Animals who show pain outwardly would be targets for predatory animals or even create a liability for the pack/herd/flock, so they work hard to function normally, in spite of discomfort.
Veterinary staff regularly educate pet parents on the signs of pain which differ between species of animals.
During visits, we hear statements, including:
“I know my pet is not in pain, because he doesn’t cry.”
“If my pet were in pain, I’d know it, because he wouldn’t go on walks.”
“My pet doesn’t have arthritis pain, because he doesn’t limp.”
“My pet isn’t eating because she is mad that I changed her food.”
“My cat is peeing outside the litter box, because she is angry that I changed my work schedule – I am sure there’s nothing medically wrong.”
Owners are often surprised when I isolate or discover areas of pain response, which produce wincing, muscle spasms, lifting a lip, ear position changes, growling or tensing of the abdominal muscles. This surprise is followed by the question, “how did you know to check there?”
The answer is I looked for areas of pain, based on the clues the pet was giving me from the moment I started examining.
Owners who understand the pain clues to look for can help their pets get diagnosed and treated BEFORE a serious crisis occurs.
The signs of pain in pet cats include:
Changes in appetite
Behavior changes, like peeing/BM outside the litter box
Vocalizing or restlessness
Increased or decreased grooming
Increased breathing efforts or respiratory rate
Changes in posture
Whisker appearance changes – bunched or straighter
Flatter ear position
Hiding
Drooling
Limping
Refusal of play and or treats
Aggression when being petted or brushed
Signs of pain in dogs include:
Not greeting the owner
Reluctance to go for walks/play
Change in appetite
Limping, inability to go up or down steps, or changes in mobility
Whining, barking or growling
Annoyance when being petted or groomed
Increased sleeping
Pacing, panting
Lagging on walks
Hypersalivation or drooling
Changes in behavior, urination or bowel movements
Postural changes, arching the back
Shaking or trembling
Changes in ear position or facial expression
If you see signs of pain mentioned above, be certain to get your pet to the veterinarian before signs escalate.
If pain symptoms are accompanied by vomiting, repeated diarrhea, lack of appetite or extreme agitation, do not wait to seek veterinary care. An emergency visit may be necessary.
What can pet owners expect when they visit the vet with a pet in pain?
A thorough physical exam while the veterinary staff attempt to find the source of the problem. Remember to alert the staff if your pet has been agitated, aggressive or offered to bits a family member prior to your visit.
Blood tests, urinalysis, x-rays, and or ultrasound exams
Pain medications – sometimes pain meds and or sedatives are needed even before the exam, if a pet is too uncomfortable to be examined.
Once a diagnosis is made, a pet will likely receive specific medications to treat a diagnosis, such as antibiotics for a bladder infection. Type and duration of pain medications will be prescribed based on species, age, bloodwork findings and intensity/type of pain.
Pets may have NSAIDS, or steroidal anti-inflammatories, or combinations of short-acting pain injections along with oral pharmaceuticals.
Abdominal pain will be treated with different medications than arthritic/orthopedic pain.
In my practice, many non-pharmaceutical pain therapies are available that can be even more effective than drugs and typically shorten the course of pain medication:
Heat/Cold therapy
Innovarius Sanawave
Laser
Photonic light treatments
PEMF
Acupuncture
Needle-less Vita-light acupuncture
Ozone therapy
Animal Chiropractic care
Therapeutic massage
Homeopathy
Chinese herbal therapies
Topical pain therapies, including medical essential oils and topical Chinese herbs
The above treatments can be used for pain control in many species, including birds, rabbits, ferrets and pocket pets, in addition to dogs and cats. They can also be used safely in animals with pre-existing health problems like heart, liver and kidney disease.
If your pet is slowing down and showing changes in their routine, don’t just chalk it up to aging. Be sure to get your pet to the vet, for improved quality of life!
Dr. Cynthia Maro is a veterinarian at the Ellwood Animal Hospital in Ellwood City and the Chippewa Animal Hospital in Chippewa Township. She writes a biweekly column on pet care and health issues. If you have a topic you’d like to have addressed, email [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: September is Pet Pain Awareness Month
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