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Pain Relief
Arthritis
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How can I tell if my dog is in Pain?
Animals naturally hide their pain. Pets may be suffering even though they
don’t show obvious signs. AAHA/AAFP Pain Management Guidelines have decoded
signs of animal suffering and ways to relieve it.
To protect themselves from predators, animals naturally hide their pain. Your
pet may be suffering even though he isn’t showing obvious signs. Advancements
in veterinary science have decoded subtle telltale signs of animal distress.
Observing your pet’s behavior is vital to managing his or her pain. How well do
you know your pet? Use these five clues from the American Animal Hospital
Association (AAHA) to help you understand your pet’s body language.
1— chewing habits
If your pet is
showing abnormal chewing habits, such as dropping its food or chewing on one
side of the mouth, it may have a dental disorder or a mouth tumor. Additional
signs may include weight loss, bad breath or excessive face rubbing. Routine
dental checkups are important to prevent and treat dental disorders and related
pain.
2— weight gain or loss
Pain
directly influences your pet’s weight and eating habits. Animals carrying
excess weight have an increased chance of tearing ligaments and damaging
joints. Pets with arthritis or muscle soreness may not want to access their
food because bending over is uncomfortable. Arthritis pain may also cause pets
to gain weight while their eating habits remain the same due to lack of
exercise. Pain can also cause animals to loose their appetites which will lead
to weight loss.
3—Avoids affection or handling
Did Fluffy used to be active and energetic, but now sits quietly around
the house? Avoiding affection or handling may be a sign of a progressive
disease such as osteoarthritis or intervertebral disc disease. Although your
pet may appear to be normal before petting or handling it, the added pressure
applied to its body may expose sensitive and painful areas. Hiding is also a
sign of pain. Because the animal is hurting, she will hide to avoid a
vulnerable position (this allows the pet to prevent painful interactions).
4—Decreased movement and exercise
Osteoarthritis or joint disease is the most common cause of pain. Pets
that limp may be reluctant to go up or down stairs, exercise, or play. Weight
and joint injuries can also go hand-in-hand. Losing unnecessary pounds will
help overweight pets decrease pressure on sore joints and reduce pain. Consult
your veterinarian about exercises, diets and medical therapies that can help
improve your pet’s health.
5— “Accidents”
Pet owners often
believe that “accidents” are a result of behavioral issues. Although behavioral
issues may cause unwanted surprises, going to the bathroom in inappropriate
places may be caused by pain. Pets with sore joints or arthritis may not make
it to a convenient location due to painful obstacles like stairs.
Urinary tract infections also may cause a messy situation. In addition
to having “accidents,” symptoms of a urinary tract infection may include,
lethargy, fever, tender lower abdomen and difficulty urinating. Even after the
urinary tract infection is dealt with it may be necessary to get a new litter
box because the cat makes painful associations with the old litter box.
The lack of verbal expression does not mean that your pet is not
experiencing pain. Minor behavioral change can be cause for alarm. Being aware
of your pet’s habits can help you and your veterinarian assess and treat your
pet’s pain. Pain management has become an integral part of your pet’s overall
healthcare. Diagnosing and managing pain is among the 900 standards an animal
hospital is evaluated on in order to become accredited through AAHA. For more
information about the advancement of pain management, check out the AAHA/AAFP
Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats.
My Buddy
Buddy is a pure bred yellow Labrador Retriever. I
bought Buddy as a puppy from a breeder down in Miami. He was
the most destructive dog I have ever owned but my favorite. AT
6 months of age he tore the back off of our brand new leather
couch that we had only owned for 2 weeks. My wife was able to
move the backside of the couch against the wall to hide the
atrocity. Buddy chewed nearly every pair of my wife's shoes but
never once did he chew my shoes. I remember coming home from
work on evening to be greeted by my sobbing wife. She was
standing there with a new pair of shoes in her hands, tears
rolling down her face, and telling me that the puppy has to go.
We managed to get through the terrible twos without my wife
evicting him.
Buddy would go everywhere with me. He would ride in the back of
my pickup truck and would stay there even when I went into a
store. I would come out to usually find someone had made a
friend with my dog. My other older lab at the time was Dixie, a
female reddish colored lab mix that died when buddy was about 4
years old. Dixie rode along with me until she became too old to
jump up into the back of the pickup. Buddy to this day at the
age of 12 still goes out in the boat fishing with me. He still
plays fetch in the yard with the kids. He still guards the
house from strangers, ready to lick them to death if the come
on to our property. Lately I have noticed that he doesn't jump
up from a nap anymore. He gets up slowly and walks stiff legged
for a few minutes. If he over exerts himself he gets very sore
and limps for a few days after. The pain is obvious.
I didn't want to medicate him with drugs because he has
been a healthy dog his whole life never needing anything other
than the regular required shots. I fear the side effects of the
medication the veterinarian recommends. I discovered an all
natural product which helps with his pain safely without any
side effects. The best is that Pet Bounce offers a
free trial to test out. I paid for the shipping and pet
bounce sent me the free samples to try out on Buddy. The
stuff makes a difference. I wish I had something like this
for when Dixie went through her senior years. I now partner
with them and advertise the product here on this website
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be able to take our dogs over to their house and let them swim
in the pool for exercise. 