Animals generally, whether it is your pets at home or farm animals, they share a biological truth, and to them, showing pain is very risky. So, instead of them to limp or cry dramatically, they will rather subtly show discomfort, like reduced activity, avoiding touch, posture change, consistently chewing or licking a particular area, until they are no longer able to handle it.
We sometimes mistake these signs as a sign of laziness, old age, or maybe they are just moody, but in reality, these may be red flags you are ignoring that could turn out to create a life-threatening situation.
In a dog, pain is displayed by eating more slowly or dropping food while they chew, hesitating before they go upstairs or jump into the car, consistently licking paws, and showing less enthusiasm for play, greetings, and walks.
In cats, when they experience pain, they groom less or begin to over groom in one spot, they begin to hide more, especially in quiet, dark areas, no longer jumping from high places, avoiding people, and getting grumpy.
For farm animals, pain comes with lameness or decreased movement, changes in posture, poor appetite, and isolation from other animals on the farm. When we begin to notice these signs early enough in our pets, we can take them to a vet clinic for a checkup before things get out of hand.
One of the most common silent killers of a dog is the complications associated with heart disease. It is a progressive condition that is difficult to detect at its early stage; by the time the clinical signs become evident, the disease has progressed to an advanced stage. Cognitive heart failure usually comes with the aftermath of an already damaged or weak heart muscle. This happens when the heart of the dog is no longer able to effectively circulate blood with sufficient oxygen to supply the entire body, causing organs and cells not to function appropriately, therefore leading to a deterioration of the health of your pet.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for canine congestive heart failure yet, but detecting it early and treating it on time will improve the quality of life and longevity of the pet. A dog with the condition will show signs of: excessive panting, intermittent coughing, fainting, abdominal swelling, rapid breathing, restlessness, and fainting.
When a dog has kidney disease, it is usually an incurable condition; the symptoms do not begin to show until about two-thirds of the kidneys have become dysfunctional. When you begin to think about it through signs, it has probably gotten to a dangerous point. Chronic kidney disease in a dog is usually linked to aging, rendering the kidney incapable of filtering waste products in the bloodstream, and at the same time affecting the functioning ability of other important organs.
Heartworm is also not easy to detect in its early stage, and it can be fatal if diagnosed too late. Heartworm is caused by a parasite called heartworm and is transmitted when a dog gets bitten by an infected mosquito. These heartworms carefully lodge themselves in the arteries, heart, and lungs of an infected dog, causing damage wherever they reside.
It is not easy to detect an infection early, but the most noticeable symptoms are: vomiting, swollen stomach and chest, pale gums, cardiovascular collapse, extreme weight loss, coughing, moodiness, fatigue, and heavy panting after just a little exercise. When you notice these signs early enough, you can check into a hospital.
These diseases/conditions can make us lose our pets, since the signs are not often obvious until they get worse. The only way we can save the day is through regular health check-ups, which are an important component for ensuring a healthy and happy life. During one of those routine check-ups, your vet may discover a subtle sign that will make him dig deeper, and he will immediately advise you on how you can take better care of your pet to prevent dangerous complications.