courtesy pethealthnetwork.com
Our pets obviously can't tell us they hurt. In fact many dogs or cats in a great degree of pain don't show us any symptoms of a problem such as limping or holding a leg up. I have a lot of clients tell me that their limping pet is not in pain, but it is a rare skeletal or soft tissue disease that will cause a pet to limp if they are not in pain. I think many times it is because we can't bear to think of our pet being in pain. It can be a helpless feeling. It is "not normal" for a dog to sit down during walks or have difficulty getting up after rest nor is it typical for an aging cat to stop jumping up on furniture or counters they once frequented. Many times a pet slowing down is attributed to age, but it is so important to realize that a significant slowing, even over time, is either associated with metabolic issues or chronic pain. These issues can cause behavior changes such as aggression or withdrawal from play or other pets in the home. They also commonly lead to weight gain.
On exam, we can typically pinpoint where the pain is coming from to help determine a coarse of treatment. It is extremely important that you take into consideration quality of life vs quantity of life when determining therapy. Cost and risks need to be considered, but will typically not prevent you from trying to improve their quality of life.
There are a number of medications available now to treat dogs with chronic arthritis, back pain, etc. Treatments for cats are more limited but still available. Once your pet is evaluated to make sure they are otherwise healthy, typically with blood work and possibly radiographs, you can trial one of the available pain medications. The most common medications used are non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Some pets, will get an upset stomach or low appetite on these medications and if they do, there are alternatives for your pet. Medications that block pain receptors can are an example.
Glucosamine given regularly at home in the right quantity or injections of Adequan here at our office are popular and typically also lead to improvement for dogs and cats with arthritis. There are a number of other supplements that have helped some pets improve but inconsistency in results makes recommendation difficult and full compliance by you, the owner, is a must to achieve maximum results.
Pets on chronic pain control will need periodic blood work to evaluate their liver and kidney values as well as a CBC to ensure their organ function is appropriate. We try to make this blood work affordable. Rarely, problems with blood work could be associated with medication, but much more often aging pets have decreased organ function due to normal aging processes. We have to account for that when deciding on appropriate medications. Routine exams are also important to pick up on other issues that may affect medication choices or changes. Bi-annual exams are best in senior pets.
On exam, we can typically pinpoint where the pain is coming from to help determine a coarse of treatment. It is extremely important that you take into consideration quality of life vs quantity of life when determining therapy. Cost and risks need to be considered, but will typically not prevent you from trying to improve their quality of life.
There are a number of medications available now to treat dogs with chronic arthritis, back pain, etc. Treatments for cats are more limited but still available. Once your pet is evaluated to make sure they are otherwise healthy, typically with blood work and possibly radiographs, you can trial one of the available pain medications. The most common medications used are non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Some pets, will get an upset stomach or low appetite on these medications and if they do, there are alternatives for your pet. Medications that block pain receptors can are an example.
Glucosamine given regularly at home in the right quantity or injections of Adequan here at our office are popular and typically also lead to improvement for dogs and cats with arthritis. There are a number of other supplements that have helped some pets improve but inconsistency in results makes recommendation difficult and full compliance by you, the owner, is a must to achieve maximum results.
Pets on chronic pain control will need periodic blood work to evaluate their liver and kidney values as well as a CBC to ensure their organ function is appropriate. We try to make this blood work affordable. Rarely, problems with blood work could be associated with medication, but much more often aging pets have decreased organ function due to normal aging processes. We have to account for that when deciding on appropriate medications. Routine exams are also important to pick up on other issues that may affect medication choices or changes. Bi-annual exams are best in senior pets.