| Pain in Dogs |
Think about us as humans?Many of us suffer from arthritis, or lower back pain, or frequent headaches. Unless the pain is sharp and sudden, you wouldn't know that the person next to you on the bus is was even in pain! This is the same for dogs! Sometimes you may talk to another person and that person will snap a smart and nasty remark at you. Later, that same person may approach you and apologize for his behavior and explain that he has the worst sinus infection in the world. Pain can drive people and animals to act crossly! Say you have an older dog (sometimes this can pertain to dogs of any age), and your dog snaps at you for no reason. This behavior has never happened in the past. Have your veterinarian first look for any physical cause and then for a mental or training problem. Growling/snapping because you touch his side may mean pain there (it may also mean "Don't touch me there!") . Dogs cannot tell us when they feel poorly - in words at least. Veterinary professionals must look at the dog and see what he/She tries to tell us in his/her actions and demeanor . All of the following can indicate pain: Limping Scratching Favoring Licking an area Unusual mouth movements Turning the head to look at an area frequently Running in circles Erratic movements Snapping at people, other dogs or self Reluctance to get up or lie down Reluctance to climb stairs or climb into a car (usually an older dog) Panting for no obvious reason Sometimes even just an odd look to the eye or face. *Remember, more often than not, you will not see your dog cry out or verbally express himself when he is in pain! You need to watch for the signs. |
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