Pain is something we’re all familiar with, and unfortunately so are our pets. Sometimes, though, it can be hard to tell if your pet is hurting, even if you know them well. Animals’ minds work differently from human minds, and by understanding how they think, we can help keep our friends happy and comfortable.
If your dog breaks his leg, it’s obvious he’s in pain, right? He screams when it happens, and cries when you touch it. But what he is reacting to is acute pain—that is, pain that happens suddenly. Chronic pain, which is pain that comes on slowly or lasts a long time, is different. Animals seldom react obviously to chronic pain. Partly this is because it doesn’t “startle” them—it’s always there, so why should they react to it? And it’s partly because animals don’t think like humans. A human in chronic pain might say, “I could not be in pain.” Animals cannot do that. They live in the now, and so they simply accept the pain as part of their existence and pointless to complain about. Which means animals in chronic pain usually:
- Still eat
- Don’t whine
- Try to do their normal activities
In addition, unless it is overwhelming, chronic pain can normally be overcome by adrenalin, which the body produces when there is fear or excitement (this is the chemical that produces the “fight-or-flight” response). Adrenalin may allow your pet to perform activities such as running, jumping, or chasing a ball or toy when they are excited. This is very common in dogs with mild arthritis or with knee injuries. They don’t feel the pain then. But it will return once they calm down and the adrenalin goes away.
Where does chronic pain come from? Remember, “chronic” can refer to pain that lasts anywhere from a few days to the life of the pet. So chronic pain may come from sudden causes, such as a broken leg while its healing or post-operative pain after any type of surgery. It may also come from slow-building conditions, such as arthritis, or be the end result of injuries or illness that cause acute pain, such as if your dog slips a disk in his back.
So how can we tell our pets are in pain? If they still eat, and they don’t cry, what do we watch for? Signs of pain are often individualized—unique to each pet—but in general, most pets will do some or all of the following, depending on what part of them hurts:
- Eat slower
- Walk slower
- Become irritable or “crabby”
- Walk with stiff, straight limbs—trying not to bend the joints
- Rise from a prone position more slowly
- Drag themselves up by their front legs (instead of pushing with their hind legs)
- Jump less
- Be less sociable
- Show changes in grooming habits or unkempt fur (cats, in particular, will groom themselves less and may have thickened nails)
- Spend more time laying down
- Show less interest (not no interest) in doing normal activities
As our pets age, chronic pain becomes more of a problem, and harder to identify. Often, pain is mistaken for the pet “just getting old.” Animals do not “just get old.” They will keep doing their normal routines and activities unless something (like pain) is preventing them. They may not be very good at those activities any more, but they’ll still want to do them, and will still get excited to do moderated versions of their favorite things.
One of my favorite “old dog” stories is about Dusty. Dusty was a 16-year-old golden retriever adopted by my former coworker, who wanted to make his last days happy. Dusty had arthritis and cataracts, and couldn’t walk, see, or hear very well; but with strong pain medication, he still insisted on doing all of his favorite things. One of those things was to go for walks. He couldn’t go very far, but every day he would walk my coworker to the bottom of her driveway to get the mail (it was about 100 yards). Sometimes he’d fall over. When he did, he would wait patiently for his mom to help him up, then keep on trundling, tail wagging. Another thing Dusty loved was to “chase” the tennis ball (his mom was told he’d been a champion ball-chaser in his prime). He couldn’t run after it any more—he could barely see it—but he was so happy if you rolled the ball to him or tossed it at him gently. He would open his mouth and cast about when he knew the ball was coming, and if it actually landed in his mouth, it was the best day ever! He also loved eating treats and rolling in the daisies, which he did every day. Dusty passed away about six months after his adoption, but he kept on doing his favorite things (in moderation, of course!) right up until a few days before he passed.
Dusty’s story helps me remember the just because a pet is old, it doesn’t mean they have to be in pain, or that they can’t do the things they love any more. Modern pain medications for pets are generally safe, and usually very effective. If you think your pet might have chronic pain, talk to your vet about what you are noticing at home. Together, you and your vet can come up with a plan for your pet to keep him or her happy and pain-free into old age.