Pain Management for our Companion Animals

Pain management has changed drastically in my 21 years in the veterinary industry. I remember just giving an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) injection and that was it. Pain was not a huge concern in the overall care for our companion animals.  The perception for far too long has been that they "don't feel pain" like people or that certain elective procedures were "minor" or likely to cause only minimal discomfort. What research and observations over the years has come to prove is that our patients do perceive pain much the same as humans.  These magnificent beings have instinctive behaviors that cause them to hide their pain from outward observation (think about nature - the strong survive and the weak or injured become breakfast) so we must think proactively when it comes to pain management.  To put it simply, if a surgical event would be painful for a human, then we should expect a similar level of pain to occur in our pets too.

We now control pain and discomfort starting before the patient is even put under anesthesia. Once they are unconscious we give them different pain medication during their surgical procedure so that their body does not feel or react to the pain that is being inflicted on them and it allows the pet to have a pain free recovery once they are awake.

There are so many different levels of pain and we can take care of all of them now.

Many veterinary hospitals still treat our companion animals the way we did 20 years ago. It is up to you to ask questions. Ask what kind of pain management will be used for your pet.

From dentals, to spays, to neuters to removing a foreign object from your pet's stomach, all of these procedures cause different levels of pain. But don't think for a moment that a "routine spay" doesn't need pain management. That is an abdominal surgery where muscle must be cut into. Imagine how painful that can be!

When your pet goes home after having surgery (with oral pain medications), he/she should have an appetite the next day, they shouldn't be hunched over in pain, and they shouldn't be lethargic. If they are, their pain has not been managed properly.

For more information on how far pain management has come read this article called Pain Management for Pets at www.healthypet.com.

Keep your pets healthy, pain free and make sure they always Keep Wagging!

Monique and the Nose Prints Family