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In
the words of Dr. Albert Schweitzer: “Pain is a more terrible lord of
mankind than even death”. We do not want to suffer from pain, nor do we
want our companion animals to suffer needlessly. Improved understanding
in the mechanisms of pain production in the body, as well as advances
in pain management, have given veterinarians and pet owners more
choices when it comes to preventing or controlling pain.
Pets can
suffer pain as a result of accidents, trauma, surgery, or chronic
disease. It is our duty and obligation to relieve this suffering
whenever possible, so that our pets have the best quality of life that
is possible. Especially with chronic disease, many animals have adapted
to hide the signs of pain, suffering in silence. In some cases, we only
realize the extent of the pain after the fact, when the cause of the
pain has been eliminated or treated appropriately.
As a rule,
pain is caused by inflammation. Some of the more common causes of
chronic pain in pets are osteoarthritis caused by degenerative joint
disease, chronic, non-healing wounds, chronic skin disease due to
allergic pyoderma, and dental disease. Many pet owners confuse the
signs of chronic pain with inevitable aging changes – however, age is
not a disease! Pets that are in chronic pain are often reluctant to
move, may have a reduced appetite, and may no longer show that “joie
de vivre” that they had as a youngster.
Effective pain
management starts with the diagnosis and treatment of any inciting or
underlying causes, such as tooth root abscesses, fractured teeth, skin
infections, and identification and elimination of allergens (if
possible). Although there is no cure for some of these conditions, such
as degenerative joint disease, there are ways of treating the
associated inflammation and pain. Drug treatment is often very
effective, and in particular, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs) are an appropriate choice. However, the specific choice of
medication will be determined by the patient’s health and any other
underlying conditions. In addition, periodic testing will be required
to monitor effectiveness of treatment and ensure that the pet’s organ
system function is maintained.
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