Paws and Claws

Pain management for cats and dogs

by Cindy Anderson, DVM
Animals suffer from pain just like people do. Pain comes in many forms: surgical pain, arthritis, and cancer-related pain, just to name a few. Acute pain is obvious
and distressing. Chronic pain can be subtle, and masked as “getting old” or “slowing down.” Old age is not a disease, but pain is. There are many options to treat the various causes of pain in animals including pain medications, physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, laser therapy and therapeutic massage.

Unfortunately, animals suffer for more extended periods of time than we do because they cannot tell us they are hurting. Many animals also are masters at hiding discomfort, a necessary behavior developed through evolution, to protect themselves from predators. Pets also love to please their people and often muster the energy to get up and play or give affectionate greetings. Unfortunately, this devotion to their human counterparts makes it more challenging to recognize when they are genuinely suffering.

Even the best pet parents sometimes can’t pick up on subtle, gradual changes in a pet due to aging or older pets just “slowing down.” However, aging is not an illness and should not be painful. In fact, by the time a pet is visibly in pain, particularly if it is due to a chronic condition such as cancer or arthritis, he/she may have already been in pain for quite some time. It is important to keep a close eye on your pet’s activities, eating habits, and personality changes so that you can seek veterinary treatment for possible problems as early as possible. Our pets are counting on us to be their voice.

There are many common changes that may signal your pet needs medical intervention. They include decreased play and activity, not going up/down stairs, anxiety, weight loss, whimpering, reluctance to jump (especially cats), difficulty standing after lying down, decreased appetite, over-grooming or licking a specific area of the body, growling or guarding behavior in dogs, hissing/spitting in cats, changes in urination/defecation habits, and lethargy/loss of interest in social interaction.

Pet parents play an important role in pain management by providing the veterinarian the relevant patient history, participating in assessment and reassessment of the pet, and continuing the recommended treatment and management at home. Pain management is viewed as a continuum of care.

I, Dr. Cindy Anderson, and staff at Lakelands Trail Veterinary Clinic, invite you to call us at 517-655-5551, or stop in at 4525 S. Michigan-52, Stockbridge, if you need any assistance with managing pain in your older pet.

Cindy Anderson, DVM

Cindy Anderson, DVM,  is a graduate of MSU Veterinary College (1992) and has practiced veterinary medicine for over 28 years.