Comfort is the Goal
A complete pain management program addresses both acute and chronic pain. Here at Green Lake Animal Hospital, our doctors evaluate their patients for discomfort at every exam.
We use a pain score system developed by Colorado State University and recommended by The International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management. This system is based on interactive and psychological observation, behavior, response to palpation, and body tension.
Your veterinarian can use this information to help design a plan to keep your pet comfortable throughout its life.
Preventive Pain Management for Procedures
Preventive pain management for surgical, dental, and procedural pain is tailored to the patient, the degree of pain expected, and the individual pet’s medical status. Patients who undergo anesthetic procedures are given pre-anesthetic medications. Among the benefits they provide, these medications can be used to promote relaxation, prevent pain, and ease the patient through the induction process.
Patients who undergo dental extractions or those who have certain surgeries are given local nerve-blocking agents in addition to general anesthesia. This means less inhalant anesthesia is needed and analgesia lasts well beyond the end of the procedure.
Postoperative or post-treatment pain medication is also prescribed for animals to keep them comfortable at home during healing.
Chronic Pain Management
A chronic pain management program, for conditions like osteoarthritis, is also selected by the veterinarian. This decision is based on many factors including the pet’s medical status, medications the pet may already be on, severity of pain, and organ function.
Chronic pain management programs involve periodic re-evaluations by the doctor through physical examination and monitoring of organ systems through laboratory testing.
In some cases, pain can be managed or improved through the use of complementary treatments or nutraceuticals.
Northwest Veterinary Hospital
Call/Text: 206-545-4255
Fax: 206-545-4205