Section: Overview
Causes of Pain
Any cause of tissue damage or inflammation is potentially capable of causing pain. Examples of such causes include the following:
Trauma - fractures, sprains, dislocations, wounds, muscle tearing, blunt forceful injuries
Exposure to heat – flame, hot water, heating devices
Exposure to extreme cold – frostbite, cold surfaces, cold weather
Tissue inflammation – from infections, from pathologic conditions or diseases, from physical changes
Necrosis of tissue – death of the tissue
Ischemia – loss of blood supply to the tissue
Stretching of tissue – especially of round or hollow organs
Spasm of tissues – especially of muscles or muscular organs
Organs That May Manifest Pain or Become Painful
Bones
Joints and ligaments
Muscles
Skin and soft tissues under the skin
Tissues of the mouth
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Portions of the brain and spinal cord
Tissues within and around the eye
Certain components of the ear and ear canals
Certain structures within the chest, particularly the esophagus and tissues lining the chest (pleura)
Many abdominal organs, including those of the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, reproductive tract, and the tissues lining the abdomen (peritoneum)
Tissues near the anus and tail
External genitalia
What to Watch For
Manifestations of pain are highly variable in animals. Some signs are obviously related to pain, while others are more subtle. The individual personality of the animal and its tolerance for pain also affect the clinical manifestations of pain. Animals in pain often present with a wide variety of signs. Some signs that are associated with pain include the following:
Altered behavior – quieter than normal, avoidance of other animals or people, hiding, aggressive behavior, fear biting, mental dullness and depression, agitation, restlessness, pacing
Altered movement or gait – lameness, reluctance to move, reluctance to get up, wobbliness, abnormal carriage or use of one or more legs, stiffness
Vocalization – growling, howling, yipping, moaning, groaning
Decreased or lack of appetite (anorexia)
Increased respiratory rate
Increased heart rate
Shock, collapse
