Pain Management

In recent years, veterinarians have made great progress in understanding how animals feel pain and the best ways to manage that pain.
Many animals will instinctively hide their pain as a survival mechanism which in the past led to incorrect assumptions about the ability
of dogs and cats to feel pain. 

Because we now understand more about how pets feel pain, we know how to recognize it and manage it. Pain management has become
an important issue in veterinary medicine.

Pain management helps improve the recovery process, whether from illness, surgery or injury. Because it reduces stress and increases
a sense of well-being; pain management may even help your pet live longer. 

Understanding Pain:

There are two different types of pain in pets 

Acute pain 

Comes on suddenly as a result of an injury, surgery, inflammation or infection. It can be extremely uncomfortable for your pet. The good
news is that it’s usually temporary and goes away when the condition that causes it is treated. 

We offer pain management with every surgical procedure for both the comfort of the patient and to speed the recovery process. 

Chronic pain 

Is by definition pain that lasts longer than two weeks. It can result from acute pain that goes untreated or it can develop more slowly. 

Common sources of chronic pain are 

• Osteoarthritis
• Dental disease
• Cancer

Signs that your pet might be in pain include:

• Depression and/or inactivity
• Rising slowly or “collapsing” to lie down
• Walking with a stiff gait, especially after getting up
• Standing or sitting in unusual positions
• Trembling
• Inappropriate elimination
• Whining, whimpering, howling, or constantly meowing
• Constantly licking or chewing at a particular part of the body
• Acting funny and out of character, either aggressively or submissively
• Unable to get comfortable (constantly changes positions to find the most comfortable position)
• Develops new and inappropriate behaviour like chewing on objects such as wood (may indicate a dental issue).

When pain is correctly assessed and treated, patients respond with increased vigour and a sense of well-being that owners recognize and
appreciate. The longer the pain goes on, the harder it is to control so we always want to treat this pain as soon as possible.