Your Pet May Be In Pain M. Kathleen Shaw, DVM

Animals suffer from pain, just like we do. Some forms of pain are obvious such as surgical pain or an acute injury. Because most of us have had surgery at some time in our lives (or know someone who has), we have an idea of the pain animals must feel after having an operation. The same holds true for an acute injury such as falling down

M. Kathleen Shaw, DVM

the stairs or having an ear infection. Unfortunately, the majority of pain in animals is chronic and harder for most pet owners to detect. Arthritis is often misinterpreted as the pet “getting old” or “slowing down”. It is important to remember that age is not a disease, but pain is!

Cancer and dental disease are chronic pains from which animals suffer in silence. A common misconception is that animals will whine or cry out when they are in pain. In fact, it is very uncommon for this to occur. Signs of pain in dogs can vary between dog breeds and individual dogs. The majority have one or more of the following signs: decreased interaction with owners, decreased activity or appetite, reluctance to move, growling, guarding, aggression towards people or other pets, or even chewing or licking themselves where it hurts. For example, a dog may not want to be petted around the head if its ears or mouth hurt. An older dog with arthritis may growl or snap at kids or other

dogs, trying to protect itself from being hurt. Cats are very good at hiding when they don’t feel well. This is because in the wild, if they show they are sick, they can quickly go from predator to prey. It is rare that a cat with chronic pain will cry out. Instead, it may stop grooming and have matted fur, be stiff, lose weight, hide, be less active, eat less, or groom excessively at an affected area. A cat who “doesn’t like to be petted there” is usually painful at that location.

Dental pain is rarely obvious to most pet owners. The assumption by many is if the animal is eating, there is no mouth pain. Since the alternative is to stop eating altogether and starve to death, even pets with very painful teeth will still eat. They just may not eat as much, may lose weight and may not chew their food well. They may chew only on one side of their mouth.

A thorough annual wellness exam by your veterinarian will help to determine if your pet is in pain. If you suspect your pet is painful, call your veterinarian right away. There are many options available to treat pain in our pets: prescription medications, physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, laser therapy and therapeutic massage.

Remember, do not ever give human pain relievers to your pet: the majority of them are toxic to our pets. Even a little bit of certain human pain medications can cause kidney failure and death in our pets. It is our moral responsibility as pet owners to provide for all aspects of our pets’ needs. They give us unconditional love and depend on us for their care and comfort. Besides giving them food, love, and shelter we must realize that they may get sick and will definitely get old. Along the way there are times they will be in pain, for which there is help. For more information about pain control and how to tell if your pet is in pain, talk to your veterinarian and go to www.ivapm.org, the website of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management.

The Vermont Veterinary Medical Association (VVMA) is a professional organization of 350 veterinarians dedicated to compassionate animal care and quality medicine. For more information, call (802) 878-6888, or visit www.vtvets.org

Catherine MacLean, DVM - Grantham, NH

It may feel like it started over- night. Your once agile puppy seems to wake up one morning and not really be able to go up the stairs, get on the couch, or jump in the car easily. Sometimes early signs of arthritis can be as subtle as being unable to go for the long walks they once enjoyed. If you have noticed one or more of these signs, your dog may have arthritis.

The signs in cats are not as obvious since they are very good at hiding pain. You may notice subtle changes, your cat is no longer jumping on things he once did; or more obvious changes, your cat is now limping or his walk seems different. He may even be hiding more.

If you notice any of these signs in your pet you should first discuss it with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will check your pet over and may check your pet’s range of motion in his legs, palpate for neck and back pain, and possibly recommend x-rays. If you and your veterinarian determine your pet has arthritis, a treatment plan can then be made. There are different ways to treat arthritis and which treatment you chose will depend on your pet, what you feel comfortable with, and what your veterinarian thinks will help your pet the most.

Some treatment options that are avail- able include: omega three fatty acids, glucosamine and chondroitin, non-ste- roidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) pain medication, acupuncture, and Adequan.

Below are some of the most common treatment options used. This list is not all inclusive and you should discuss with your veterinarian which options are best for your pet.

Omega three fatty acids have antiinflammatory properties. It is safe to be given to both dogs and cats, and is often needed at much higher doses than what humans normally take. The effects of omega three fatty acids are not usu- ally dramatic but can be helpful with managing arthritis pain. Fall 2020

Over 90% of geriatric cats and 1 out of 5 dogs over the age of 7 has arthritis.

Glucosamine and chondroitin are found in many over the counter joint supplements. Both glucosamine and chondroitin make up cartilage and are believed to help repair cartilage when taken orally. When using these supplements it can take several months to see an improvement. This option is also available for both cats and dogs.

Joint diets are typically high in fatty acids and have glucosamine and chondroitin in them. They can be used in animals that may be prone to arthritis or joint issues such as very active dogs. They can also be used in conjunction with pain medications and other treatment options. There are several choices available. Ask your veterinarian which one is best for your pet.

Adequan has an injectable cartilage component called polysulfate glycosaminoglycan. Adequan has numerous beneficial effects for the arthritis patient including the inhibition of harmful enzymes involving joint cartilage destruction, stimulation of cartilage repair, and increasing joint lubrication. It works in an injection to your pet, having the ability to go to all of your pet’s joints. Usually a series of eight injections over the course of four weeks is given, and then it’s used on an as needed basis after that.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are fast acting medications that are good at decreasing inflammation quickly. This family of medications act quickly by suppressing the inflammatory biochemicals that ultimately lead not only to the pain of arthritis, but also to cartilage damage. These medications also require monitoring since they can have negative effects on the liver and kidneys in some pets. This being said, Fall 2020 most dogs tolerate this family of medications well, when used appropriately. Your veterinarian can guide you on the proper dose and monitoring. There are very few medications in this category that are approved for cats and none are labeled for long term use.

Acupuncture is another pain management option. The goal of acupuncture is

to bring pain relief to your pet by placing acupuncture needles at specific points. The success rate depends on the individual animal and to some degree the duration and severity of the arthritis. It can be used alone or in combination with one of the treatment options mentioned above.

The take home message is that as your pet ages, there are things that you can do to help your pet enter the golden years with comfort. Animals feel pain just like humans, they are just better at coping with it. There is no one size fits all when it comes to pain management in your pet. With the help of your veterinarian you can find what works best for your pet.

Dr. MacLean completed her Bachelor of Science from Penn State University, her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Atlantic Veterinary College, and her pet acupuncture certification from Chi Institute. Her areas of special interest include general practice and acupuncture. She opened Sugar River Animal Hospital in 2013, and she has been practicing veterinary medicine since 2010. Dr. MacLean’s family consists of her husband Matt, her daughter Katarina, son Alexander and their three pets: Jack and Misty, two cats, and Arrow, a dog.