My cat is 10½ years old. Lately, she seems to hesitate when leaping up and down from the window seat. Frankly, Gabby doesn’t move around as much as she used to and when she does, she seems to be slower. Reminds me of how I am on days when my arthritis is acting up. I think she’s in pain but how can I tell? Do animals feel pain like we do?
Up until about 10 years ago, most veterinarians, other animal health experts and researchers thought animals didn’t feel pain the same way as humans. Some even believed that they don’t feel pain at all. But times and opinions have changed.
Research has shown that animals and people have the same neural pathways for transmitting pain signals from the body to the brain, which makes it likely that we experience pain similarly, according to an article in the winter 2013 edition of Tufts Veterinary Medicine magazine.
Sadly, it’s hard for most pet owners to tell when their cat or dog is in pain, which could mean that the majority of pain in animals goes untreated. But descriptions of how animals act when in pain include symptoms like those you describe. Cats and dogs with joint pain and inflammation caused by arthritis, for example, usually slow down gradually and start limiting their activities or movements.
My cats, who died when they were 18 and 20, both suffered from arthritis and degenerative joint disease. They stopped jumping up on the bed and sofa, and sometimes would cry out when picked up too quickly. But during their last couple of years, they were on anti-inflammatory and pain medications, which made them more comfortable.
Chronic pain like my cats experienced builds up slowly over months and years, which is why it’s sometimes not noticed until an animal is in dire shape. In contrast, immediate or acute pain such as from an accident or surgery is more easily recognizable because the animal will cry out, start limping, or its behavior will change suddenly and drastically.
Sometimes pain symptoms appear as something that might seem unrelated to pain. A pet might start losing weight or lose interest in a favorite game, like chasing a ball or playing with a cat teaser toy. Sometimes cats with arthritis stop using their litter boxes because their stiff joints make getting in and out difficult.
Untreated pain leads to other problems, according to Tufts Veterinary Medicine. Over time, pain interferes with the nervous system and the region of the brain that regulates responses to pain, which means chronic pain can create a cycle of pain that doesn’t end but only gets worse.
Don’t try to treat Gabby yourself or share your arthritis medication with her. Drugs created for people are often toxic or deadly when ingested by pets, cats in particular. Even small doses of aspirin and ibuprofen (such as Advil and Motrin) can cause kidney damage as well as ulcers in the stomach and intestines. Acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) can kill a cat.
Since you see signs that Gabby may be in pain, she needs to be examined by a veterinarian. He can assess her physical condition, do blood tests and an X-ray to figure out what’s wrong. Then he’ll decide on treatment, which could include pain relievers and other medications safe for cats.
Do you have a question about
pets? We’ll get you an answer
from an authority. Send your question to Rhonda Owen,
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or e-mail [email protected]
Family, Pages 32 on 04/24/2013