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PAIN MANAGEMENT + ARTHRITIS CONTROL - Best Friends Veterinary Hospital

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  • Call or Text Crossville (931) 459-2006
CROSSVILLE PHARMACY
  • Call or Text Cookeville (931) 881-2037
COOKEVILLE PHARMACY

Pain Management and Arthritis Control
for Your Pet

Pain management is not an option –– it’s an imperative. It can be one of the most complex aspects of being the caregiver of a sick animal. Animals have a natural instinct to hide pain, so signs of pain may be very difficult to detect and may include symptoms such as turning away a treat, slowly eating their food or sleeping loss. In cases of severe pain, your pet may show unusual aggressiveness, such as barking, snarling and snapping.

Pain can be caused by many things in pets including:
  • Physical trauma, such as falling down or being hit by something
  • Internal organ problems, such as intestinal upset or kidney blockage
  • Surgical procedures, such as abdominal surgery or bone surgery
  • Brain or spine problems, such as a slipped disc, pinched nerve or headache
  • Degenerative changes, such as arthritis and joint damage
According to Best Friends Veterinary Hospital, your pet’s pain often falls into two categories: acute and chronic. Acute pain is almost always due to trauma, injury, or post-surgery. Our staff can offer short-term treatment, issuing higher doses of pain medication to ensure your pet’s comfort. Chronic pain is typically due to joint disease or displacement, arthritis, chronic skin conditions and chronic internal issues. Our staff uses low-dosage pain medications, laser therapy, and dietary guidance to ensure a smoother healing process for your pet. Every patient that undergoes a procedure requiring sedation or general anesthesia is provided with pain control/medication before being sent home. Our doctors and staff take all necessary steps to relieve any pain before, during and after your pet’s surgical procedure, because with proper pain control for all surgeries, the less time it takes your pet to heal.

Managing Arthritis in Older Pets

At Best Friends Veterinary Hospital, we recognize that our pets might develop chronic pain conditions as they age. Arthritis is an inflammatory condition prevalent in older pets which can negatively impact their quality of life.

Types of Arthritis:

  • Osteoarthritis: The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis can be caused by wear and tear on joints from overuse, aging, injury, or from an unstable joint such as a ruptured ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the knee.
  • Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD): A chronic form of osteoarthritis prevalent in dogs and cats. Estimates show that 20% of dogs older than one year of age have some form of DJD, while studies indicate that 90% of cats over 12 years of age had evidence of DJD on x-rays.
  • Septic Arthritis: Arthritis caused by a bacterial or fungal infection
  • Arthritis Caused by Disease: Arthritis can be caused by Lyme disease, Ehrlichia infection or auto-immune diseases such as lupus, which can all cause swollen, painful joints. In rare cases, tumors can cause arthritis.

Many options are available to treat arthritis, targeted to the specific type and cause of the condition. Surgery might be needed in cases where a joint must be stabilized. DJD can be treated with NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), pain medication such as Tramadol, cartilage protective agents such as glucosamine or Adequan, acupuncture, or steroids, as a last resort. (It should be noted that at Best Friends Veterinary Hospital, we use NSAIDs developed specifically for pets, not those made for humans, as those are likely to cause ulcers in dogs, while most NSAIDs cannot be used for cats.)

If you feel your pet might benefit from a consultation about acute or chronic pain,

please call our caring staff at
Best Friends Veterinary Hospital
Crossville Office: 931-459-2006
Cookeville Office: 931-881-2037