How to Tell if Your Pet is in Pain
Our pets are beloved family members and we do all that we can to make sure they live long, happy, healthy lives with us. We provide them with routine vet care to prevent problems before they arise and to monitor existing conditions. We also take them to the vet if they become sick or injured. The problem is that our pets don’t speak human language. Because of this, it is easy for us to miss early signs that something is wrong. And for many medical issues, early detection and monitoring are key.
Any sudden behavioral change should be worth noting, but there are some common signs that arise that may indicate an underlying pain issue in your pet.
Sudden onset of aggressive behavior or behaviors that aren’t typical for your pet
This is a common one for owners to see and I get asked about it frequently. Perhaps Fluffy growled when you touched her ear this morning and that has never happened before. Maybe Angus has been fully house trained for years and suddenly started having accidents inside. These are all common indicators that there is something medical going on with your pet. Any and every time I notice or clients disclose a sudden behavior change in their pet that is presenting for the first time, I will recommend a vet visit. This allows the vet to either diagnose and treat a medical cause for the issue OR rule out a medical cause so that I can address the behavior. This is really important to me! If I try to treat a medical issue behaviorally, the issue will just get worse with time.
Lack of interest in food or activities they love
Sparky LOVES to play fetch with his favorite ball, but the past few days he hasn’t wanted to play. Millie is obsessed with her canned food, but hasn’t shown any interest in food today. This one seems pretty obvious, but since pets can’t tell us, we often excuse these types of things and don’t notice them. If your pet’s interests change, take notice and speak to your vet.
Difficulty getting up or getting comfortable
Max’s owners have noticed that it takes him a lot longer to find a sleeping spot than normal and he just can’t seem to get comfortable. Princess loves to nap in the sun, but now it seems like it takes her a while to get up or change position. If your pet is having a hard time getting comfortable, moving, or seems restless, these are also signs that a vet should be involved.
Stress cues/body language
These are the most often missed by even the most astute pet parents! Pets primarily convey information to us through body postures so close attention needs to be paid when these change or if stress cues are noticed. If Xena is usually a relaxed and outgoing cat, but seems to have her ears slicked back with a more tense body posture we need to take note and may need to discuss these observations with our veterinarian.