Clues to Detecting Pain and the Aging process of your animals

By Andrew Phillips | May 11, 2013

To protect themselves from predators, animals naturally hide their pain. Your dog may be suffering even though she isn’t showing obvious signs. Observing your dog’s behavior is vital to managing his or her pain. To help you understand your dogs body language:images-7

Abnormal chewing habits– If your dog is showing abnormal chewing habits, such as dropping its food or chewing only on one side of the mouth, it may have a dental disorder or a mouth tumor. Additional signs of dental disorder may include weight loss, bad breath or excessive face rubbing

Drastic weight loss. – Pain directly influences your dogs eating habits. dogs with arthritis or muscle soreness may not want to access their food because bending over is uncomfortable. Arthritis pain may also cause dogs gain weight due to decreased activity.

Avoids affection or handling. – This may be a result of pain causing your dog to feel out-of-sorts and less social.

Decreased movement and exercise. – Arthritis or degenerative joint diseases is the most common cause of pain. dogs experiencing this may be reluctant to go up or down stairs, exercise, have difficulty standing up or lying down, increased stiffness, less willingly wanting to play with others.

“Accidents”. –Although behavioral issues may cause unwanted surprises, urinating or imgres-11defecating in inappropriate places may be caused by joint pain. Dogs with sore joints may not make it to a particular location due to painful obstacles like stairs.

Other signs to watch for that are signs of aging (please note some of these symptoms could also be a sign of serious illness in dogs)

  • Bad breath (you may want to also check for rotten teeth as a cause)
  • Excessive barking /vocalization
  • Having trouble recognizing their normal routines or surroundings
  • Change in bowel movements
  • Stops greeting their family members
  • Shows less interest when you pet them
  • Sleeps more during the day and evening
  • Do they wander aimlessly or pace
  • Difficulty hearing or responds less quickly when called
  • Difficulty seeing
  • Increased urination
  • Excessive panting
  • Difficulty passing urine or having a bowel movement
  • Losing or gaining weight
  • Eating less or more
  • Drinking more or less

If you notice any of these symptoms please have your dog checked out by a Veterinarian, you could save them a lot of unnecessary pain and suffering.

Too many elderly, senior or dogs with special needs end up given away to other homes, placed in Humane Societies or Shelters when they get old.  As your dog ages they really need their beloved companions they have been with and have loved you to be with them to take care of them just as you would when you get old or have special needs. Remember they loved you unconditionally through the good and bad times and now as they age they ask only that you take a little extra time from your busy day to be with them, guide them with your loving voice as they take a little walk with you or do our business outside, get them a sweater or coat to wear and a cozy bed if we seem to have pain, arthritis or if they seem stiffer moving around then they use to.

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If you have a chance and would like to adopt a senior or special needs dog from a Rescue, Shelter or Humane Society, make sure you know before what their condition is and you are able to handle their specific needs, just think, that dog would reward you with unconditional love in their hearts even if only for a short time, they would find comfort in knowing someone loved them and cared for them and filled their last days with dignity and compassion.

One comment on “Clues to Detecting Pain and the Aging process of your animals

  1. Reply Katia Oct 15,2014 2:21 am

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I truly appreciate
    your efforts and I am waiting for your further
    post thank you once again.

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