Vets share tips to identify pet pain

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Vets are offering advice to pet owners during Animal Pain Awareness Month.

Nearly every pet owner has a cautionary tale of a pet in sudden pain, but vets say we can discover and help sooner with the right attention and care.

Mika Morton's dog Fibo was just two when he was diagnosed with early-stage kidney failure.

It was more frequent potty breaks that tipped Morton off.

"It was really stressful and kind of scary because we just didn't know how he would handle his kidney issues - if he'd be able to make any kind of recovery," said Morton.

But a diagnosis at the vet and a wellness plan gave Fibo a new lease on life.

"They had estimated at the time that he was only going to live about a year or more from there but it's been five and a half years," said Morton.

Dr. Karen Bradley sees many patients like Fibo walk through the doors of Onion River Animal Hospital in Berlin, showing just a hint of something bigger at play.

"That mental 'I gotta do this, I've got to push through' power is pretty real," said Bradley.

Dr. Bradley says certain animals hide their pain especially well. It can require a trained eye to notice a cat isn't bathing as flexibly or a horse is eating through dental pain.

"We can catch those things before they're so bad that the pet has a problem grooming or is suffering other reasons anxiety and stress because of that chronic pain," she said.

Catching the pain can take special attention for older pets as well.

Dr. Bradley says many pet parents see pain as a regular part of the aging process, but it doesn't have to be that way.

"Chronic pain is what we really want this awareness to be about. Pets aging is not a disease. Aging is something we naturally go through, and aging doesn't always provide pain," said Bradley.

Whatever stage your pet is at, Dr. Bradley says to look out for even slight changes in behavior - like not wanting to be scratched or taking longer to get out of bed.

And if you do notice anything, your best bet is always to turn to the professionals.

"If you're noticing something subtle, there's probably something there. So don't poo-poo it, don't just put it off as old age. Talk to your veterinarian about it," said Bradley.

For anyone who might struggle to pay vet bills, Dr. Bradley recommends calling a vet to find solutions within your budget.

You can also find resources for affordable or free animal care here .