If putting ourselves in the shoes of other human beings is always a very complicated task, when we talk about animals, the challenge becomes even greater. Unlike us, they cannot communicate verbally; however, we can learn to interpret their behavior and become alert when we observe or sense that something is not right.
As veterinarians, our responsibility is also to inform the caregivers of our patients about the symptoms that alert us to an illness. And pain, in itself, is also a symptom when it becomes chronic.
Given that September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, at IVeM we want to take this opportunity to delve deeper into it, so that your dog or cat has a better quality of life when the time comes.
Pain Identification
The main indicator of pain in animals is behavioral changes. The signs to which we must pay special attention are significant changes in their behavior, whether in activity level or appetite; grooming, urination, or defecation habits; or a more withdrawn or aggressive demeanor.
In addition, one of the challenges of veterinary care is finding representative scoring tools to measure pain. These are the most commonly used in consultation:
The Importance of Treatment
Quique Plaza, head of the Anesthesia and Analgesia Service at IVeM, considers pain management a central aspect of veterinary clinical practice:
"When pain is not treated adequately, it has negative repercussions on the animal's quality of life. It delays recovery and induces behavioral changes that affect the bond between the patient and their family."
Sometimes, moreover, it is not just a specific acute pain, but it can become chronic. When painful progression is maintained for a prolonged period of months, it begins to be considered a symptom and not something adaptive. "The establishment of chronic pain associated with periodontal disease or other oral conditions can influence our anesthetic protocol," explains Dr. Quique Plaza.
Orofacial Pain
Pain in the dental and facial area is one of the most common discomforts faced by dogs and cats. Dental fractures, the silent progression of periodontal disease, tooth resorption, ulcerative stomatitis, and tumors are some of the most frequent causes in our patients.
To treat these ailments, it is essential to know the root of the problem causing them to obtain the most accurate diagnosis and thus be able to apply the appropriate treatment. Depending on each case, this may mean the extraction of one or more teeth, a deep cleaning, or a specific surgical procedure.
In patients with chronic pain, treatments are always aimed at relieving it and improving their quality of life. Multimodal therapy consists of using different tools (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) to eliminate the presence of pain. Each of these tools will have a different site of action within the painful stimulus.
At IVeM, We Work to Improve the Quality of Life of Dogs and Cats in Pain
What makes the difference in the efficient management of your animal's pain is having the maximum information and understanding. Therefore, in addition to being aware of their behavior, it is important to trust a veterinary team that identifies the sources of pain and treats or alleviates them if they are chronic. At IVeM, we have a human team with extensive experience and in constant training, and we treat the pain of our patients to ensure their well-being and comfort.
"Relieving pain is not only a professional obligation, as reflected in the veterinarian's oath, but a key factor in obtaining successful results and improving the veterinarian-client-patient relationship," concludes the veterinarian.
