By D. Thurmond, D.V.M.
Pet owners may not realize their dog is in pain until the symptoms become advanced. That’s because animals deal with pain better than their owners do at times.
People have varying amounts of tolerance to pain and the same is true of their pets. One dog may not limp on an injured leg until damage to the joint is extreme while another will yelp and cry at the least discomfort.
Knowing your dog and his habits and behavior is often the trigger to realizing the animal is hurting. There are symptoms to watch for but often the first sign of pain in a family pet is the feeling of the owner that “something isn’t right”. When that impression remains for several days, a trip to the vet for a checkup is a good idea.
Symptoms of Pain:
Vocalizing -
Your dog may whine when he rises from a sitting position or yelp when he jumps down from a chair. He may whimper when you massage a shoulder or make moaning or groaning sounds when at rest.
Posture -
Your dog may limp with one leg or may appear to walk in an awkward, hunched position holding his front end and back end at uneven heights.
Level of Activity -
Owners accustomed to a pet who follows them from room to room may notice the animal staying in one place instead. The dog may lay down, get up, circle and lay down again repeatedly trying to find a comfortable position and may have difficulty getting up after laying down.
Behavioral Changes -
Your pet may avoid social contact or growl or snap when you touch part of his body or manipulate a joint. He may withdraw from petting and be reluctant to participate in play activity. Some dogs may become more needy than usual and seem to be asking for constant attention.
Dog may lose their appetite when they are in pain or appear unusually tired or lethargic. Incessant licking, scratching or chewing of one part of the body is a visible indication of itching or pain and an increase in drooling is another sign of a problem.
Appearance -
Many dogs display facial expressions that their human companion recognize as part of the personality of their pet. A change in expression or physical appearance may be an indicator of a dog who is in pain.
Ears laid back may be unusual for the animal and a vacant stare that replaces the attentive look or eyes that seem constantly tired and sleepy may be subtle clues of a joint that is aching or an injury that needs treatment. Panting is normal for dogs but constant panting in the absence of exercise or heat is unusual.
Causes of Pain in Dogs
Serious illnesses such as cancer will lead to excruciating pain for an animal. However, the most common source is injury or arthritis affecting the dog’s joints.
Joint pain in dogs can cause limping and vocalizing and all of the other pain symptoms listed above. A simple sprain may heal itself in a few days while arthritis will lead to pain that comes and goes and varies in intensity. Hip dysplasia is common to some breeds and another cause of ongoing joint pain.
Pain symptoms in dogs should not be ignored. Finding the cause of the discomfort can often lead to treatments with pet medicines that will control or even eliminate pain for the animal. Prompt treatment can halt the progression of serious illness and relieve discomfort quickly.
Treatment for Canine Pain Relief
For life threatening diseases, your veterinarian will prescribe a course of treatment. Medications can be costly but can be obtained online safely by ordering discount pet medicine from a site run by a veterinarian. Treating joint pain has been a focus of development in veterinary medicine for several years. The resulting medications have relieved painful joints for tens of thousands of dogs. Dogs with hip dysplasia or senior dogs suffering the pain of arthritis can become pain-free with discount pet meds at a price any pet owner can afford.
* Deramaxx – Taken daily, Deramaxx will help control chronic osteoarthris and pain. Your dog will enjoy the taste of the beef-flavored tablet and this pet med is safe enough to use every day.
* Metacam – Available as a solution for injection (used in the vet’s office) and as an oral suspension for follow-up treatment at home, Metacam addresses dog arthristis symptoms with a two step procedure that provides fast canine pain relief.
* Rimadyl for Dogs – This is the most popular dog pain medication available today and is widely used by both pet owners and veterinarians. Rimadyl for dogs is used to relieve dog arthritis pain and also for pain due to soft tissue surgery such as spay/neuter.
Treating dog arthritis pain and joint pain caused by injury or hip dysplasia is now possible with new medications that can return your pet to a healthy, active lifestyle that is pain free. Buying both prescription and non-prescription remedies through a veterinarian online provides pet owners with discount prices for long term treatment.
Is your dog showing pain symptoms? Discount pet meds offer canine pain relief at prices pet owners can afford. Buy the most effective dog pain relief medicine from a practicing veterinarian at http://www.petscriptsdirect.com.
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