OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Pets brought in with medical problems often show pain in different ways.
Dogs and cats cannot tell owners what hurts, but they can offer behavioral clues. If a dog begins acting unusually, owners might want to start with a medical exam rather than assume the animal is upset, depressed or angry.
A case example
Kiya is a 7-year-old husky mix who lived with a 5-year-old child and a cat and did well with them. Kiya came in with classic signs of internal issues. Her previous owners said that for months, when she urinated, it was cloudy and sometimes bloody. X-rays revealed several bladder stones, one the size of an egg. She was still a sweetheart and pottied outside. She likely has a high pain tolerance, but some signals can be a red flag.
Behavioral signs
A dog with abdominal pain might keep nosing or licking her belly or biting the area.
Refusing to play and isolating from other pets and family members could signal a dog is in pain…