At-Home Pain Management for Your Pet
Your pet’s quality of life is essential to their overall happiness, and adequate pain management is necessary for a pet to have a high quality of life. At Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care in Tucson, we offer a variety of treatments and therapies that can be beneficial for pets who suffer from
At-Home Pain Management Strategies for Pets
1. Recognizing Pain in Pets
In order to treat your pet’s pain, you first need to be able to recognize it. Pets don’t always show their symptoms with outward signs, so you have to pay close attention to notice changes in your pet’s behavior, attitude, energy level, and appearance. Changes to posture or gait can indicate pain in addition to shivering, not wanting to stand up or lay down, less active, vocalizing excessively, whimpering, yowling, yelping, panting excessively, not wanting to be touched, and acting more aggressively.
2. Pet-Safe Medications
Most pain relievers that are formulated for humans are not safe for pets. They are either toxic or compounded in inappropriate doses for pets. We offer a variety of pet-safe prescription medications that can be used to manage both acute and chronic pain in pets.
3. Laser Therapy
Cold laser therapy helps manage pain in pets that occurs as a result of arthritis, an injury, surgery, or other musculoskeletal conditions. Laser therapy helps reduce inflammation and increase blood flow for less pain and faster healing.
4. Nutritional Supplements and Prescription Diets
Pets suffering chronic pain often benefit from prescription diets to manage their weight and also from nutritional supplements to reduce inflammation in their joints. Our veterinarian might recommend supplements like Omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin. Always talk with your veterinarian before giving your pet a new supplement.
5. Lifestyle Adjustments
Pets suffering from pain – especially musculoskeletal pain – benefit greatly from adjustments to their activities and their environments. Low-impact exercise like swimming is great for pets with arthritis. Additionally, pets with arthritis benefit from having raised food and water bowls, orthopedic pet beds, and stairs or ramps into the car or onto the sofa.
Chronic Pain and Disease Management for Pets in Tucson
Pets with chronic pain and diseases that cause chronic pain or other symptoms most often experience the best results with a multifaceted approach to managing their health. This means providing them with more than one treatment or therapy. To learn more about managing your pet’s pain at home, we welcome you to contact Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care today.
