By Elizabeth Mason Woods for WebVet
Treating pain in your dog or cat can be difficult, because while people are "painfully'' aware when they are in pain, animals are much more stoic. Therefore, it's oftentimes difficult to know when animals are actually suffering or in pain. Most importantly, they can't open their mouths and say, "Hey mom, I'm in pain over here. Can you help me?''
Thus, pain management has become an important issue in veterinary medicine. Organizations such as the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine Center for the Management of Animal Pain, the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine, the Humane Society of the United States, and the Companion Animal Pain Management Consortium are all committed to studying pain and pain management in animals. Studies have shown that by helping your pet avoid pain, you may be able to speed the recovery process, whether from surgery or injury. Best of all, because it reduces stress and increases a sense of well-being, pain management may even help your beloved pet live longer.
Signs your pet is in pain
When humans feel pain, they complain. However, when it comes to our pets, we rarely hear a peep out of them. So if they can't tell us, how do we know when our pets are in pain?
Pay attention. While your pet can't talk, they oftentimes send us signals that indicate they are suffering from some type of acute or chronic pain.
- Unusually quiet, listless, restless, or unrespon...
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