We know the issue of pain management is of great concern to pet owners today. As in human medicine, we have a variety of medications available to manage your pet’s pain both before and after surgery and in the event of trauma. We would be pleased to discuss the options available to you and your pet under any of the above circumstances. "Just because pets tolerate pain quietly, doesn't mean they should have to" It seems strange to think that even just a few years ago most practices did not focus on managing pain in our veterinary patients. We're not talking acute, intense pain that is universally recognizable. Veterinarians have always tried hard to help those pets. We're talking about the kind of pain that the pet doesn't complain about like a person would. This more subtle pain is what has escaped our treatments. That may initially seem cruel but there were good reasons for it. First, there were not very many pain medications to choose from. Those that were available either didn't last very long or if they did last a while, carried the potential for some seriously unpleasant side effects. Second, it is difficult to objectively assess pain in animals because they often "suffer in silence". Consider post-operative animals: Are they vocalizing (i.e. whining, barking, whimpering, howling) because they are scared and confused, or are they painful? What about those that don't vocalize? Are they painful too? Keep in mind that this isn't a problem just in veterinary hospitals; it is also a problem at home. Owners are often unaware that their arthritic pet is painful because pets rarely vocalize in pain. Another good example is dental disease. Pets will continue to eat despite what must often be constant discomfort. Third, if we can't objectively know (in most circumstances) when a pet is painful, how then can we measure a pet's response to pain treatment to know if it even worked! Fourth, most veterinarians received little training in pain management in veterinary school and there were few controlled studies to learn from on this topic. The good news: What a difference just a few years can make. There are now books on pet pain management, numerous peer-reviewed studies, lectures at every conference, articles in all the profession's magazines, on-line discussions, and many safer drug options. The veterinary community is undergoing an exciting renaissance in our perception and understanding of animal pain. As doctors and nurses we are learning to be even more empathetic and more aware of the degree of pain that comes with diagnostic and treatment procedures. We are learning to treat pain aggressively and treat early. Importantly, we are passing this knowledge onto pet owners. However, this isn't easy. It takes considerable time to keep up with the flood of published studies, learn when and how to use these medications most effectively, and to train ourselves and support staff in pain management techniques. Recent work in this field has taught us several broad concepts. The first is the importance of "pre-emptive analgesia". This is when we give the patient analgesic agents (i.e. pain medications) PRIOR to the onset of pain (i.e. prior to surgery). This serves to block stimulation of pain receptors and the "wind-up phenomenon", both of which can lead to more intense post-operative pain. The "wind-up phenomenon" is when nerve fibers start to overreact to even mild discomfort making the sensation of pain much worse. The second is the importance of "multimodal analgesia". Here we use multiple drugs that act to prevent/treat pain in different ways to provide better, overall analgesia. The third is probably the most important:if it would be painful to a person, assume it is painful for the animal and act to prevent/treat pain accordingly. It is important for you to know that Gandy Animal Hospital strongly believes in compassionate, quality medical care for our patients. We take pain prevention/treatment very seriously and will work hard to keep your pet as comfortable as possible. Thus, all surgical and dental patients will receive pre-emptive and multimodal pain management. Additionally, analgesics may be prescribed for use at home post-operatively. We also encourage owners to treat painful disease conditions such as arthritis and dental disease early and aggressively. While we are working hard at this, remember that you know your pet best. Communicate with us if you think your pet is uncomfortable so we can work with you to make modifications to their treatment plan. Our goal is to help you keep your pet as comfortable as possible for as long as possible. | 
