The International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) has proclaimed September as Animal Pain Awareness Month, coinciding with human medicine’s Pain Awareness Month.

Your pets can suffer from pain just like we do. Pain comes in many forms. Acute pain is obvious and distressing. Chronic pain can be subtle, and masked as “getting old” or “slowing down.” There are many options to treat the various causes of pain in animals including pain medications, physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, laser therapy, and therapeutic massage.

The Most Common Signs of Animal Pain

• Decreased activity – take notice if your pet is not playing as much as usual, or is sleeping more.
• Behavioral changes – they might be more aggressive, withdrawn, or restless.
• Sensitivity to touch – they might reject normal handling.
• Not going up or down stairs – this could be an early sign of osteoarthritis.
• Reluctance to jump up onto surfaces – this especially applies to cats.
• Difficulty standing after lying down is a sign of osteoarthritis.
• Vocalizations – they might whine, whimper, yelp, growl, or cry.
• Decreased appetite – changes in eating habits, this can signal mouth pain, or other unrelated pain.
• Over grooming or licking a particular area can be a sign of referred pain.
• Increased heart rate, excessive panting, flattened ears, a low posture, or shaking can all be other signs of pain.

Schedule an Appointment Today

We all know that being in pain is not fun; now imagine that you can’t tell a loved one where it hurts. That’s why your pets rely on you to take notice of these common signs, so you and your veterinarian can provide the help they need to mitigate that pain. If you notice any of these signs of pain in your animals, please don’t hesitate to contact Compassionate Animal Care in Queen Creek, or your own veterinarian.

Call 480.774.6995 to schedule an appointment with Compassionate Animal Care today.