Is Your Pet in Pain?

Your Pet Does Not Have to Live in Pain

We all know your pet is not just a pet.  More often than not, owners will state that their pet is like their child or any other member of the family.  The veterinary care given to pets today is much more advanced and comprehensive than 30 years ago.  One area which has advanced greatly is the area of pain management.  The days of giving your pet a baby aspirin are officially over!  Veterinary specific options for pain management medications have evolved and are much safer than any over the counter medications.

Symptoms of Pain in Pets  

Animals by instinct, for survival purposes, are very good at masking pain.  Would you know if your pet was in pain?  Besides the obvious not bearing weight on a leg or screaming out in pain, there are several much more subtle clues which may indicate your pet is in pain.  Some of these clues are:

• Decreased activity
• Decreased appetite
• Overgrooming or licking a particular area    
• Reluctance to go up or down stairs
• Reluctance to jump on furniture
• Urinary or fecal incontinence
• Changes in personality, including aggression
• Excessive panting when at rest

What You Can Do if Your Pet is in Pain

If you notice any of these symptoms, a consultation with your veterinarian may be recommended.  We assess pain on every pet at each examination and pain is scored from 0-3, with zero being no pain and 3 being severe pain.  When we discover a patient is in pain, we not only want to treat the pain, but also look for the cause of the pain and treat that as well.  We also want to determine the type of pain your pet is having.  The two types of pain are:

• Acute--usually associated with a particular injury or illness and pain is relieved once healing has occurred. (i.e. post-operative pain)
• Chronic--persistent pain that continues and has no clear end point (i.e. pain associated with arthritis)

Pet Pain Management Plan

Each pet's pain management plan is directly related to the type and cause of the pain they are experiencing and can encompass many different approaches such as pharmaceutical, surgical, physical therapy, weight loss plans, etc.  If you feel your pet may be in pain, your veterinarian can assess your pet's pain and implement a plan which is tailored to your pet's needs and make his or her quality of life exponentially better.  For more information on pain management for your pet, please click here.

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