Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Reasons a Healthy Pet Can Be in Pain Without Expressing It

By Jen Newton

Congratulations! You are fortunate to own and have the companionship of a healthy pet. They seem active and healthy without a care in the world. You think there could be nothing wrong. Stop! Please take a moment to think about how animals are programmed by nature.

Since the beginning of time, most animals have been programmed to do whatever it takes to live with pain without making it obvious. The reason is obvious - other animals looking for food might make them their next meal if they sense they are weak or injured (easy to catch and kill). Given this, even your pampered indoor puppy might be hurting and not inclined to show it. You have to keep a close eye on your pets.

Watch how your pet acts and behaves. There are numerous indicators that their health isn't what it should be. Since they are used to, and for the most part, quietly dealing with pain they will in fact make an effort to conceal or minimize the effects of any pain they feel.

Carefully observe your pet's physical characteristics. Are they losing weight for no obvious reason? Are they chewing their food more slowly, or eating less than usual? This could indicate problems with their teeth or gums. Patches of hair missing, or an obvious dulling of their coat, could be signs of internal problems. You should know how a happy, healthy pet looks and acts. Watch carefully for deviations from this norm.

As strange as it sounds to some pet owners, your pet needs to have their teeth checked routinely. They get cavities and gum diseases just like we do. Neglecting this can lead to infections and pain that becomes very difficult to treat once it advances to a certain point.

Good health is directly influenced by your weight and eating habits. Animals as well as humans carrying excess weight have an increased chance of physical illnesses and damage. Weight gain due to lack of exercise also can be a signal of arthritis pain. Joint disease is the most common cause of pain. Pets that limp may be reluctant to go up or down stairs, exercise, or play.

Losing unnecessary pounds will help your overweight pet decrease pressure of sore joints and reduce pain. Many excellent reduced fat or low calorie pet foods are made to assist with this.

Your pet might not whimper, moan, or otherwise signal that they are in pain. Watch them and carefully observe their normal behavior. Then, when you see changes in their routine that are unexplained, you can assist your vet in figuring out what the problem might be. Anytime you see obvious changes in the way your pet behaves or goes about its daily routine, get in touch with a good animal doctor and have them examined as soon as you can. Having a healthy pet is one of the great joys of life - do everything you can to help them stay in good shape.

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