Pain Control
The need to control pain in our pets is a simple, but often overlooked, principle of veterinary care. Pets in pain suffer. They do not respond as well as pain-free pets to any treatment. Therefore, no surgical or medical procedure can be considered a complete success if your pet is in pain. Our veterinary care team feels that it is our responsibility to do our very best to identify and limit the pain felt by your pet.
Your pet deserves to be as pain-free as possible. As a member of your family, your pets are worthy of the same attention to pain control as every other loved one. Alleviating your pet's pain is critical to the physical and mental well-being of the animal and permits your beloved pet to function within the family. Pets in pain may restrict their activity, stop eating, discontinue playing, become depressed, and refuse to interact with the family. Pets without pain want to be part of the family and participate in walks, games, and family activities. They feel better, as so do the human members of the group.
Dr. Sawyer and his associates are committed advocates of pain control for their patients; it is not just offered for the arthritic pet or the seriously ill animal. Pain control is provided for all pets that require it. This means that pets undergoing even the simplest surgeries, such as a spay or neuter, will receive medication to control pain. These medications will be given prior to the procedures, as research supports the prophylactic use of medications to thwart surgical pain. In addition, medications may be given during and after the surgery, or sent home, as needed.
Dr. Sawyer and his team are well-versed in the variety and uses of current pain medications. We are aware of the differing needs of different species and are skilled in providing the proper medication to control each individual pet’s pain. In addition, we are able to offer different therapies for pets in immediate pain compared to those that suffer from chronic, disabling conditions such as hip dysplasia or arthritis. Acute pain sufferers may simply be treated with short doses of pain medication, while chronic pain sufferers may require combinations of pain medications and other therapies, such as diet, exercise, physical therapy, acupuncture, and swimming therapy. If your pet suffers from chronic pain, Dr. Sawyer and his team are happy to discuss pain control and to tailor an individualized pain-control program to help your pet.
