Pain is a clinically significant symptom that can adversely affect an animal’s quality of life—and the first step in treating it is recognizing and acknowledging it.

Our pets share the same anatomical and biochemical pain pathways that we do; therefore, we can expect their level of discomfort with certain conditions to be similar to ours. Unfortunately, they cannot tell us with words how they feel or where they hurt, but they can give us clues about their level of discomfort.

Would you know if your cat was in pain? As attentive and loving cat owners, we all want to answer “yes” to that question, but the truth is, felines are masters of disguise—and because of this, they are one of the most common species with undiagnosed pain.

When your pet suddenly loses his appetite, it can be concerning—particularly if you’ve got a regular chowhound on your hands.

If the thought of your pet sitting calmly while several tiny needles are inserted into various points on his body makes you scoff, think again. Veterinary acupuncture is an increasingly common treatment for a variety of canine and feline ailments, from chronic pain and inflammation to metabolic conditions like kidney disease.

In Western medicine, pain is defined as a complex phenomenon that includes both the sensation and the subsequent behaviors that occur as a response. In Eastern medicine, pain is the manifestation of stagnant Qi or blood. Essentially, it is energy that is caught in one area creating pain and loss of function. Longstanding stagnant energy eventually leads to permanent structural changes, such as arthritis.

In Western medicine, pain is defined as a complex phenomenon that includes both the sensation and the subsequent behaviors that occur as a response. In Eastern medicine, pain is the manifestation of stagnant Qi or blood. Essentially, it is energy that is caught in one area creating pain and loss of function. Longstanding stagnant energy eventually leads to permanent structural changes, such as arthritis.

If there were a safe and pain-free way to treat your cat, wouldn’t you want to know about it? Of course, you would!