Veterinarian can help reduce your pet’s pain

One of the greatest advances in veterinary medicine over the past decade is the recognition and treatment of pain in our furry companions.

Animals react differently to pain than humans do, which for many years led veterinarians to believe that animals don’t feel pain in the same way as humans.

Furthermore, it was believed that some pain would be beneficial in helping to keep a recovering pet from moving too quickly as it healed.

However, pain management recently has become a key area of study in veterinary medicine, as research has confirmed that pain is detrimental to the overall healing process as well as an animal’s general well being.

Research has shown that unrelieved pain in animals leads to suffering, stress, anxiety and diminished quality of life.

Veterinary care providers are now more likely to follow the assumption that if a condition or procedure would be painful for a human, it will probably also be painful for an animal, and helping a pet avoid pain will speed the recovery process from surgery or injury as well as reduce the pet’s stress and increase its sense of well being.

The American Animal Hospital Association has adopted a position on the issue of animal pain. Since 1993, AAHA has recommended that veterinarians routinely consider administering appropriate analgesics to minimize pain in their patients.

The association has also included pain management standards in its voluntary veterinary hospital accreditation program.

“Veterinarians not only acknowledge that animal patients feel pain, but many consider pain as the fifth vital sign when assessing patients,” says Dennis Feinberg, DVM, AAHA president. “Patient comfort should be a primary objective of the veterinary practice team.”

Animals and humans can experience two primary kinds of pain.

Acute pain comes on suddenly as the result of an injury, surgery or infection. While acute pain can be extremely uncomfortable, it is usually temporary and will go away when the condition causing it has been treated.

Veterinary medical and surgical cases commonly associated with acute pain may include traumas such as car accidents, fractures, intervertebral disk disease, dental surgery or extractions, eye or orthopedic surgery, amputations, abdominal surgery and diagnostic procedures associated with discomfort.

Chronic pain is longer lasting and usually slow to develop. It is more difficult to deal with because it can go on for years.

Some animals may learn to tolerate the pain over time if it develops slowly, making chronic pain difficult to detect. Common sources of chronic pain are age-related conditions such as arthritis, as well as illnesses such as bone diseases or cancer.

Because our pets aren’t able to tell us when something is wrong, it’s important for pet owners to take note of any behavior changes.

Minor changes in daily behavior are often the best indicators of pain.

Signs to watch for include whining, whimpering, howling or constant meowing; biting; constant licking of a particular body part; being unusually quiet, listless, restless or unresponsive; acting funny or out of character, either unusually aggressive or submissive; flattening ears against the head; changes in mobility, sleeping or eating patterns; or seeking more affection than usual.

If you suspect that your pet is hurting, take it to your veterinarian for an examination. Your veterinarian will work with you to help figure out the problem and discuss available options.

“It is very, very important to talk to your veterinarian before giving any type of pain medication to your pet,” says Stephanie J. Lifton, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM ( www.acvim.org). “I have seen big dogs die from gastrointestinal bleeding after being given just one or two naprosyn (found in Aleve) tablets.”

Another veterinary pain expert, Katrina Mealy, DVM, Ph.D., Diplomate ACVIM, clinical pharmacology Diplomate and associate professor at Washington State University, gave an almost identical “pet pill-popping warning” as Lifton.

“It is extremely important that pet owners consult a veterinarian prior to administering any pain medication to their pet,” Mealy says. “Acetaminophen (found in Tylenol) is often cited as the primary example of this because cats are very sensitive to acetaminophen toxicity even in small doses, but dogs don’t tolerate some pain medications well, either.

“Many pain medications available over-the-counter for people can cause severe gastric ulceration in dogs.”

Lifton further advises: “Before starting any treatment regimen, it is important to have your veterinarian fully evaluate your pet’s health status and to follow up with routine monitoring.”

If you can’t pull some over-the-counter products out of the medicine cabinet without fear of harming Fluffy or Fido, what can you give to alleviate a pet’s pain?

Luckily, your veterinarian has lots of new tools in the “no pet pain toolbox.”

Treatment options to manage pain in pets have come a long way.

In addition to a traditional pill form, many drugs are now available in easily administered forms such as liquids, skin patches and gels.

New analgesic (pain-reducing) drugs to help treat a pet after surgery or trauma, as well as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) often used to treat orthopedic-related pain with fewer side effects, provide veterinarians with a wide range of options to help make your pet more comfortable.

Pain management requires a team effort between you and your veterinary care team that can result not only in a greater quality of life for your pet but also a stronger bond between you and your furry companion.