Pain in Your Pet-Finding Hope

Pain In Your Pet-A Difficult Journey

Finding Hope-Never Give Up!



Introduction: Donald H DeForge, VMD
Part One

Pain in pets is a conundrum. It is an intricate and difficult problem and important journey through diagnostics and treatment.  Many obstacles can be faced in this journey. Pain can be sporadic; it can be continuous; it can be relentless; and eventually lead to loss of life if not reversed.  Pain is many times hard to diagnose causing pets to live in daily discomfort with a poor quality of life. The triad of pet owner-advocate/veterinarian/ and specialist must be strongly bonded to lead to relief and removal of pain.

Many pet owners do no believe their pet is in pain and suffering from a poor quality of life.  One of the greatest tragedies in the Animal Kingdom is a pet living in pain; unable to communicate that pain; while living each day believing that pain is the norm.  People can communicate their pain; share it with loved ones; and seek a doctor to diagnose and remove the pain. Not so with our furry family members.

Animal pain can be occult and if keen observation is not utilized that pet does not get help.  Each day for that pet is a day of misery. This should never occur.

Periodic exams are essential to find pain centers.  The astute veterinarian with their tool box of diagnostic imaging, clinical lab testing, and other diagnostic modules can hunt and find the pain and reverse or decrease it with medicine or surgery. In many instances, the veterinarian will seek a specialist to be a second set of eyes to determine the best treatment with the best outcome.  Not all pain is completely reversible but much pain is able to be reduced leading to pet happiness.

Many pet advocates develop a feeling of dismissal and being ignored when they tell their doctor that something isn't right in their pet. If you feel this way, discuss it with your doctor[s] and ask them to remove your worry by initiating some testing modules to rule out serious pain problems.  Being testing proactive is so much better than later chasing pain as a reactive need in time of great discomfort.

On the flip side, many veterinarians proactively seek early testing-especially in geriatric patients-to begin a pain hunt before a debilitating not easily treatable problem occurs. The veterinarian wants to help but for many reasons the client does not accept the help.  This could be do to financial hardship; poor understanding; and or conflict between spouse or partner in moving forward.  It is the health care professional's responsibility-[doctor and nurse]-to educate and inform so that the pet advocate has all the knowledge to make an informed decision in care.

Occult and Actual Signs of Pain may include the following:

  • Difficulty getting up after lying down
  • Disinterest in toys or playtime
  • Decreased interest in food or treats
  • Difficulty eliminating stool or urine
  • Somnolence in the normally active playful pet
  • Hyperactivity in the normally quiet pet
  • Hiding in different rooms in the house
  • Not being able to get up on a favorite sofa, bed, or chair
  • Sleeping longer periods of time
  • Limping
  • Picking up food and then dropping the food
  • Avoiding dry foods
  • Shaking, shivering, or twitching
  • Not being attentive to commands
  • Not wanting to take walks
  • Not wanting to go for car rides
  • Uninterested in playmates who are visiting
  • Stiff walking gait
  • Unable to raise head
  • Not willing to walk up and down stairs
  • Vomiting, regurgitation, and/or diarrhea
  • Blood in urine or stool
  • Not wanting to be picked up
  • Abnormal odor from skin; ears; or rears
  • Overgrown nails
  • Fast growing masses in skin 
  • Masses in skin that are bleeding or have a foul odor
  • Red eyes or discharging eyes
  • Squinting
  • Increased coughing or wheezing
  • Not urinating or defecating
  • Mouth odor or bleeding from the mouth
  • Oral masses; cysts; or tumors
  • Broken teeth
  • Discolored teeth
  • Hypersalivation
  • Skin scabbing and/or skin infections
  • Severe pruritus-i.e. itchiness
  • Eye ulcers; discharge from the eyes; discoloration of the globe; or increased size of the globe itself
  • Bent or bleeding tail
  • Swelling of the ear flaps


Another conundrum circles back to tremendous advances in veterinary diagnostics and the large number of specialty centers throughout the United States.  As we have grown in diagnostic ability and Board Certification in veterinary specialties, we have simultaneously excluded 1000's of pet owners from this plethora of advanced care because of cost.

This has led to the need to develop alternate systems of care so that no pet is left behind.  Even though some cost is buffered by veterinary health insurance, not all can afford this insurance to allow specialist intervention.  The answers to this complex problem in care is being studied in private; corporate, and university settings to allow more individuals to be helped.

Talk to your veterinarian about options in care; stopping pain; and bringing a quality of life to the pet[s] you love.

Send questions or comments to DonDeForge100@gmail.com



 

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