When Your Pet Seems Uncomfortable
A dog who used to bound up the stairs now hesitates at the bottom. A cat who loved being held tenses up when you reach for her. Changes like these are often signs of pain, even when your pet seems fine otherwise. Tell us what you’ve noticed and we’ll check how comfortable they really are.
At Madison Veterinary Hospital, we build a pain plan around your pet’s condition, age, health history, and daily routine.
We have a lot of tools to work with, from targeted medications to therapeutic laser and other supportive care. We put together the mix that fits your pet and adjust it as we see how they respond.
Our AAHA-accredited hospital has cared for pets in Madison Heights since 1970, and we see plenty of arthritic seniors from Ferndale and Hazel Park.
Recognizing Pain in Your Pet
Pets are wired to hide pain. It’s a survival instinct, and it means that by the time a pet looks obviously uncomfortable, they may have been hurting for a while.
Learning the quieter signs is one of the most useful things you can do for your pet.
Signs of Pain in Dogs
Dogs in pain may show:
- Limping or favoring a limb, even off and on
- Reluctance to go up or down stairs
- Difficulty jumping into the car
- Trouble rising from lying down
- Reduced activity or less interest in play
- Changes in posture, gait, or head position
- Licking, chewing, or guarding a specific area
- Changes in appetite or water intake
- Unusual aggression, irritability, or withdrawal
- Whimpering, panting, or restlessness at rest
- Loss of muscle mass, especially over the hindquarters
Signs of Pain in Cats
Cats in pain may show:
- Reduced grooming or a dull coat
- Hiding or withdrawing from interaction
- Less jumping or avoiding familiar elevated spots
- Changes in litter box habits
- Facial tension, squinting, or flattened ears
- Reduced appetite
- Hissing, swatting, or reacting when touched
- A hunched posture or tucked abdomen
If you notice any of these, don’t wait. Treating pain early usually means a more comfortable pet, better movement, and better long-term results.
Conditions We Manage
We treat pain from a wide range of conditions, including:
Arthritis and Degenerative Joint Disease
Arthritis is one of the most common causes of long-term pain in dogs and cats, and it’s often missed, especially in cats.
It can affect joints all over the body and tends to get worse without treatment. Good management can make a real difference in comfort, mobility, and everyday life.
Post Surgical Pain
Every surgical patient here gets a pain plan. It starts before surgery, continues during, and carries on through recovery at home.
Keeping pain under control after surgery helps pets heal better and recover more smoothly.
Orthopedic and Spinal Conditions
Torn cruciate ligaments, kneecaps that slip out of place, hip and elbow dysplasia, and disc disease in the spine can all be very painful.
These usually do best with pain management alongside medical care, rehab, or surgery when it’s needed.
Dental and Oral Pain
Dental disease is one of the most overlooked causes of everyday pain in pets. A professional dental cleaning is the real fix, but pain control helps keep your pet comfortable before and after.
Cancer-Related Pain
For pets with cancer, quality of life comes first. Pain control is a big part of their care, and we handle these cases gently, with your pet’s comfort and your family’s feelings in mind.
Soft Tissue Injuries and Acute Pain
Strains, sprains, wounds, and injuries often respond well to the right medication and supportive care. The goal is to keep your pet comfortable while the body heals.
Chronic Medical Conditions
Kidney disease, pancreatitis, stomach and intestinal problems, and other long-term illnesses can be uncomfortable. For pets with complicated health histories, pain control is often one piece of a bigger plan.
Our Approach to Multimodal Pain Management
Pain usually responds best to more than one kind of treatment at a time. Vets call this multimodal pain management: combining methods that work on pain in different ways.
Combining treatments often works better than any single one, and it gives us room to adjust doses as your pet’s needs change.
Here’s what we may use:
Prescription Pain Medications
Anti-inflammatory pain medications (NSAIDs) are a mainstay for long-term pain in many dogs, as long as they’re a good fit and monitored properly.
We may also use gabapentin, amantadine, tramadol, or other medications for nerve pain, long-standing pain, or pets who can’t take certain drugs.
Cats process medications differently than dogs, so choosing pain medication for them takes extra care. Our veterinarians know which options are safe for cats.
Therapeutic Laser
Our therapeutic laser uses focused light to ease inflammation, improve blood flow, and help tissue heal where it hurts.
Laser therapy isn’t invasive, and most pets tolerate it well. It can help with arthritis, soft tissue injuries, healing incisions, and long-term pain. Many pets visibly relax during treatment.
Injectable Therapies
For dogs with arthritis, Librela is a once-a-month injection that blocks one of the main drivers of arthritis pain. It may be a good fit for your dog.
Solensia is a similar monthly injection for cats with arthritis. We can talk about whether either one makes sense for your pet.
Joint Supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin can support joint health and ease inflammation as part of a bigger pain plan.
Supplements don’t replace veterinary care, but the right ones, given consistently, can help.
Weight Management
Every extra pound puts more strain on the joints, spine, and heart. For overweight pets with painful joints, losing weight can be one of the most helpful changes we recommend.
We help with nutrition advice, regular weigh-ins, and practical tips that fit your pet.
Environmental Modifications
Some of the biggest comfort gains happen at home. Orthopedic beds, ramps, steps, raised food and water bowls, non-slip rugs, and low-sided litter boxes can all make daily life easier.
We’ll help you figure out which changes make the most sense for your pet.
Pain Management Across Life Stages
Pets can hurt at any age, but the causes and treatment usually change as they get older.
Puppies and Young Adults
Young pets tend to have short-term pain from injuries, surgery, or developmental joint problems.
We treat pain in young animals right away, because pain that goes untreated can slow healing and affect how they move later on.
Middle-Aged Pets
Middle age is often when early arthritis, dental disease, and other long-term problems start to show up.
Catching them early gives us the best chance to control the pain before it gets bad.
Senior Pets
Managing long-term pain is one of the most important things we do for older pets.
A senior dog or cat who’s comfortable, moving, and engaged has a far better life than one who’s quietly hurting.
We treat senior pain management as an ongoing partnership with you. Regular exams and bloodwork let us make sure medications stay safe, adjust the plan, and catch new sources of pain early.
Talk to Us About Your Pet’s Comfort
One of the most rewarding things we do at Madison Veterinary Hospital is help a family realize that what they thought was their pet slowing down with age was actually treatable pain.
Watching a dog rediscover interest in walks or a cat return to a favorite sunny spot reminds us why pain management matters so much.
If you think your pet might be hurting, or you want to plan ahead for their senior years, give us a call.
We’ll explain how we’ll assess your pet, the treatment options, and the follow-up, so you know what to watch for at home.
Related Veterinary Services
Pain management often ties into other parts of your pet’s care. Depending on your pet’s condition, we may also recommend:
