PAIN CAN BE PREDICTABLE

Veterinary Advances in Pain Management

There have been significant advances in veterinary medicine in understanding how pets feel pain. Veterinarians and their health care team are trained to recognize signs of a pet’s discomfort or fear. They work towards easing your pet’s discomfort and applying the best ways to manage pain. They continually monitor for pain and if necessary, adjust pain management protocols to make certain that your pet is comfortable.

Because of these medical advances and protocols, there is no reason for a pet to suffer unnecessarily. Veterinarians and their team work to pre-empt pain whether it be acute or chronic pain. Acute or predictable pain from surgery or injury are usually short-term. Acute pain is obvious and troubling. Chronic pain, which is often progressive, can be subtle and difficult to recognize and is often masked or dismissed as ‘aging’ or ‘slowing down’.

Pre-emptive Pain Management for Predictable Surgical Pain

If a procedure has the potential to cause pain in a dog or cat, the veterinary team will establish a protocol to prevent that pain from occurring. In surgeries, for example, the veterinarian may administer pain medication before, during, and immediately following surgery. This preventive action to stay ahead of the pain helps to keep pets from becoming unnecessarily stressed and will allow their bodies to direct energies towards healing and recuperating.

NSAIDs are Safe and Effective for Post-Surgical Pain Relief

Following a surgical procedure, your veterinarian will generally prescribe a pain-relief medication, usually a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, to be administered at home for highly effective and safe pain management.

Why Pain Management is Important?

With modern advances in pain management, untreated pain is something that no pet should experience. Studies have shown that pain relief may be able to speed the recovery process following surgery. Pain relief may also help your pet live a longer and happier life because it reduces stress and increases a sense of well-being.