The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) published in its Sep/Oct 2007 Journal a guide for pet owners and veterinarians on how to detect if your dog or cat is feeling pain.

The guide says that animals have an instinct to hide their pain so as to protect themselves from predators. If you don't know if Fifi's got a stabbing pain in her belly, a minor problem can grow into a big one.

You can download the 14-page PDF file here...
http://www.aahanet.org/..../PainManagementGuidelines.pdf

It's not light reading however. I can't imagine this was written for pet owners, more like veterinarians exclusively.

However, the AAHA did provide from some very quick "tell-tail" signs to know if a problem might exist...

Pet owners should contact their veterinarian if they observe:

• Abnormal chewing habits


• Drastic weight gain or loss


• Avoidance of affection or handling


• Decreased movement and exercise


• Excessively licking or biting itself


• Uncharacteristic "Accidents"

These signs can help uncover underlying medical issues and pain.

Of course, I look at that list and think, "Duh!". If you know your dog, you'll always know when something's not right.

The main thing is taking action immediately.

Consider that dogs get aches and pains just like people, and just like people, they may shrug these off and act like they're ok when you're giving them attention. It's when you're not giving them attention that they show their true selves.

Labels: Dog Health, Dog Pain