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Pet Pain

How to Know if Your Pet is in Pain

It can be difficult to tell if your pet is in pain. After all, they can’t use words to tell us how they feel. Use these tips to become aware of signs that your pet may need medical attention when there are no overt signs.

 

DOGS

Dogs feel pain for many of the same reasons as humans: infections, dental problems, arthritis, bone disease and cancer. They also feel discomfort following surgical procedures. You are in the best position to look for the subtle changes in behavior that may indicate your pet is suffering. It?s important to stay alert to these signs, because the sooner your dog?s pain is diagnosed and treated, the sooner he or she can heal and resume a normal, happy life. If your dog shows one or more of these behaviors and you suspect it may be due to pain, notify us immediately.

 

Vocalizing

• Whining
• Howling
• Whimpering
• Yelping
• Groaning
• Grunting

 

Daily Habits

• Decreased appetite
• Withdraws from social interaction
• Changes in sleeping or drinking
• Lapses in housetraining
• Sleeps more

 

Self-Mutilation

• Licking
• Biting
• Scratching a particular part of its body

 

Grooming

• Coat lacks normal shine
• Hair stands up in places

 

Activity Level

• Restless
• Reluctant to move
• Difficulty getting up from a laying position
• Repetitively gets up and lies down
• Trembling, circling or lying very still
• Seeks more affection than usual

 

Facial Expression

• Grimaces, vacant stare
• Glazed, wide-eyed or looks sleepy
• Enlarged pupils
• Flattened ears
• Pants excessively when at rest

 

Self-Protection

• Protects a body part
• Doesn’t put weight on a limb
• Limps
• Doesn’t want to be held or picked up
• Hides

 

Aggression

(especially a previously friendly dog)

• Acts out of character
• Growls or bites
• Pins ears back
• A normally aggressive dog may act quiet, docile

 

Posture

• Hunched, with hindquarters raised and front end down on the ground
• Lies on its side

 

CATS

Cats often disguise the fact that they are in pain. That may be because in the wild, cats that appear sick or injured are vulnerable to predators. Cat pain can be caused by things like arthritis, dental problems, urinary tract infections, bone disease, and cancer. Pain is also common following a surgical procedure. You are in the best position to look for the subtle changes in behavior that may indicate your cat is suffering. It?s important to stay alert, because the sooner your cat?s pain is diagnosed and treated, the sooner he or she can heal and resume a normal, happy life. If your cat exhibits one or more of these behaviors that you suspect may be due to pain, notify us immediately.

 

Vocalizing

• Meowing
• Purring
• Hissing
• Growling

 

Daily Habits

• Withdraws from social interaction
• Decreased appetite
• Changes in sleeping or drinking
• Fails to use the litter box
• Urinates frequently
• Won’t groom or grooms less, looks unkempt
• Sleeps more

 

Self Mutilation

• Licking
• Biting
• Scratching a particular part of its body

 

Activity Level

• Restless
• Reluctant to move
• Difficulty getting up from a laying position
• Repetitively gets up and lies down
• Trembles or shakes
• Limps
• Can’t leap as high
• Seeks more affection
• Avoids being petted or handled
• Hides

 

Posture

• Generally lays with feet underneath
• Arches back or tucks in abdomen

 

Facial Expression

• Grimaces, furrowed brow, vacant stare
• Glazed, wide-eyed or looks sleepy
• Enlarged pupils
• Flattened ears
• Pants when at rest

 

Self-Protection

• Protects a body part
• Doesn’t put weight on a limb
• Doesn’t want to be held or picked up

 

Aggression

(especially in a previously friendly cat)

• Acts out of character
• Growls, hisses, or bites
• Pins ears back

 

 

 

Animal Hospital of Waynesboro

2637 W Main Street

Waynesboro, VA 22980

Phone: 540.943.3081

Fax: 540.949.7771

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