What if you couldn’t tell your doctor that you were in pain? Animals suffer from pain just like we do. Pain comes in many forms: surgical pain, arthritis and cancer, just to name a few. Acute pain is obvious and distressing. Chronic pain can be subtle, and masked as “getting old” or “slowing down”. Age is not a disease, but pain is. There are many options to treat the various causes of pain in animals including pain medications, physical rehabilitation, and acupuncture.

Common signs of pain in dogs:

• Decreased social interaction

• Anxious expression

• Submissive behavior

• Refusal to move

• Whimpering

• Howling

• Growling

• Guarding behavior

• Aggression; biting

• Decreased appetite

• Self-mutilation (chewing)

• Changes in posture

Common signs of pain in cats:

• Reduced activity

• Loss of appetite

• Quiet/loss of curiosity

• Changes in urinary/defecation habits

• Hiding

• Hissing or spitting

• Lack of agility/jumping

• Excessive licking/ grooming

• Stiff posture/ gait

• Guarding behavior

• Stops grooming/ matted fur

• Tail flickering

• Weight loss