Menu
Suffering is a universal feature of life, but that doesn’t mean we just accept when pets are in pain. There are ways to prevent and treat pain in pets, but the trick is to be able to identify the symptoms. Cats and dogs hide signs of illness or injury (an inherited trait from their wild ancestors), so it can be a challenge to confront what’s going on beneath the surface. Your friends at True Care Veterinary Hospital are well-versed in the coping mechanisms of pets in pain, and can help you learn when it’s time to intervene.
What Is Pain?
Pain is a signal that something hurts. The varying degrees of intensity can swing from mild to subtle, uncomfortable to distracting, mind-numbing to absolutely impossible to bear.
Since your pet cannot pinpoint the cause of their pain, let alone bring your attention to it, they try their best to conceal it. Treating pain is essential to healing time (after surgery or post-injury) and may influence other long-term health conditions.
See the Signs
There are four main categories of pain in pets:
- Acute pain typically occurs in the wake of a sudden injury or surgery
- Chronic pain is persistent or ongoing, and may be linked to a chronic medical condition, like osteoarthritis
- Cancer pain is a response to tumors or the effects of cancer treatment
- Neuropathic pain is related to injury or damage to a nerve or the central nervous system
Pet owners are usually alerted to painful symptoms after witnessing changes in a pet’s behavior. As creatures of habit, a pet that doesn’t eat at their usual time, has no interest in daily activities, hides or withdraws, and struggles to drink/urinate should be examined without delay.
What to Look For
In addition, pet owners should look for these red flags of pain in pets:
- Vocalizing (whining, whimpering, yelping, groaning or grunting)
- Sensitivity to touch and shows signs of aggression, like pinned back ears, when approached
- Extreme attention to a certain spot by licking, biting, or scratching at their body
- Restlessness or mobility challenges
- Glazed eyes or enlarged pupils
- Hunched over posture
- Trembling or shaking
Please call us right away if you notice these symptoms. A physical examination followed by specific diagnostics will help us understand the root of a pet’s pain.
A Pivot Towards Treatment
Depending on your pet’s symptoms, and the reasons behind their pain, they may benefit from one of more of the following pain management treatments:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications
- Corticosteroids
- Prescription opioids
- Neuropathic analgesics
- Polysulfated glycosaminoglycans
- Nutritional changes or supplements
- Physical therapy
There is no one-size fits all approach to pets in pain. We work closely with pet owners to understand behavior, patterns, environment, and lifestyle to determine a treatment plan that is swift and efficacious. Sometimes, as in cases of chronic pain, it can take time and numerous attempts to get the right approach to a pet’s pain.
Relieve the Suffering
Our team at True Care Veterinary Hospital is committed to reducing a pet’s pain so they can return to a state of comfort and well-being. Please call us at (732) 677-2180 to schedule an appointment.