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.
Pain can be acute as in surgical pain or pain due to trauma or disease. We are strong proponents of pre and post-operative pain for all elective and non-elective surgeries.
Also, we have the ability to perform specialized Constant Rate Infusions for animals that have to undergo more painful surgeries, such as orthopedic procedures, or are suffering from a painful medical condition, like pancreatitis. These strong opiods can be given continuously by intravenous route to alleviate and prevent known or anticipated pain in your pet.
Another type of pain control we use regularly is local anesthetic. We use this important tool often for dental extractions, just like our human dentist counterparts, and for epidurals when an animal is having a painful surgery on their hind end. The animals receiving these treatments are always under a full general anesthetic, but if we decrease pain at the site before it occurs they are much more comfortable post-operatively.
Chronic pain is also something that animals can live with on a day to day basis. A good example would be arthritic pain. We can address this type of pain to some degree with supplementation. Supplements can help to maintain healthier happier joints, though medication is often also required.
Dr. Ciggaar is a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner who can help devise a pain-rehabilitation plan with you that may include the use of laser therapy. Laser treatment is a non-invasive, drug-free option for pain management. It helps to reduce inflammation at the site, resulting in a decrease of discomfort. The length and frequency of laser sessions will depend on your pet’s condition, but they can be a great addition to your pet’s acute or chronic pain management plan.
We would be pleased to discuss the options available to you and your pet under any of the above circumstances.