When our furry friends experience pain, it can significantly impact their quality of life and cause discomfort and suffering. Fortunately, there are many treatment options available to help manage your pet’s pain and improve their overall health. The choice of what therapies or medications to use are based on a number of factors such as species, age, breed, weight, overall condition, how many areas are involved (acute or chronic) and other medications they may be taking.

 

It can be difficult at times to tell if your dog or cat is in pain since they can’t talk and tell us about it. The following are signs may indicate pain in your dog or cat:

 

• Mobility issues; limping, difficulty getting up or can't get up

• Whining or yelping when trying to walk, lay down or get up

• Holding up a leg or dragging their leg(s)

• Restlessness; they can't get comfortable

• Swelling of joints

• Shaking or trembling

• Doesn't want to eat or eats less than usual

• Shows aggressive behavior (barking, yelping, snarling, growling, or howling)

• Sleeping all the time; doesn't want to walk, acts lethargic

• Heavy panting

 

Acupuncture involves the insertion of thin needles into specific points on the body to stimulate energy flow and promote healing. This ancient practice has been used for centuries to treat a wide range of conditions, including pain management. Many veterinarians have undergone training in acupuncture and use it as a safe and effective treatment option for pets.

 

Cannabis- Medical cannabis/marijuana has become popular for pain relief in recent years especially for geriatric or weak patients that can't tolerate conventional pain medication. It is not recommended to give your pet medical cannabis without first speaking to a veterinarian in order to prevent any adverse effects. Like any drug the choice of product and dosage will depend on the individual animal and their condition.

 

Chiropractic/Veterinary Spinal Manipulation is a medical therapy that is used to maintain the health and normal functioning of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. It follows the same principles and practice as chiropractic medicine in human medicine. In general, chiropractic treatments or adjustments correct subluxations. A subluxation is defined as a partial dislocation of the joints where the articular surfaces are still in contact with each other, but are misaligned. Acute and chronic subluxations can cause poor performance, stiffness, pain, decreased flexibility and function of the muscles and nerves. Adjustments to correct subluxations can treat neck pain, back pain, sacroiliac pain, and tail pain that occur secondary to hip and elbow dysplasia, arthritis, disc prolapse, cruciate ligament tears, cancer, and others. Early chiropractic treatment can prevent the development of more serious musculoskeletal conditions in the future.

 

Herbal/Botanical Medicines are natural remedies can be used to treat a variety of conditions and offer a safer alternative to conventional medications. Many herbs and botanicals have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, making them an excellent choice for pets with chronic pain.

 

Intra-articular Therapy is another option, which involves the injection of medication directly into the joint(s). This can be an effective treatment for conditions such as arthritis, where inflammation and pain in the joints can significantly impact your pet’s mobility and quality of life.

 

Laser therapy using low-level laser therapy can be used to reduce inflammation, relieve acute and chronic pain and promote wound healing. This non-invasive treatment can be an effective option and can be used alongside other pain management strategies.

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Ozone (O3) is a chemically unstable gas consisting of 3 atoms of Oxygen and is a potent anti-oxidant. This is in comparison to oxygen (O2) that we breathe which is a very stable gas and has only 2 atoms of oxygen. Medical ozone therapy is thought to act as a bioregulator to help control and treat chronic diseases and pain. Conditions that can be treated with ozone include: cancer, chronic atopic/allergic dermatitis, chronic/resistant infections (MRSA, etc), immune mediated diseases, chronic bladder/kidney infections, hepatitis, non-healing wounds, vasculitis, dental disease, chronic diarrhea/IBD, chronic ear infections, cardiovascular disease, degenerative myelopathy, osteoarthritis/DJD, IVDD, anti-aging (improves cognitive function, internal organ function, general health and overall well-being.

 

Prolotherapy involves the injection of a solution, generally containing dextrose or other natural compounds, into damaged or torn ligaments and into the joints. The solution stimulates the body’s natural healing process by causing a controlled inflammatory response, which promotes the growth of new collagen and strengthens the surrounding supportive tissues. Regenerative injection therapy (RIT) using platelet rich plasma (PRP) as well as intraarticular ozone (prolozone) may also be included in prolotherapy protocols particularly in severe cases. Prolotherapy treatments can be uncomfortable and many animals require sedation to perform it. Prolotherapy is effective for many different types of chronic musculoskeletal pain including: chronic osteoarthritis, intervertebral disk disease, chronic back and neck pain, degenerative joint disease, strengthen weak tendon and ligaments and repair torn joint ligaments, particularly the cranial cruciate ligament.  

 

Tuina (Chinese Medical Massage), also known as An-mo is one of the 5 branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is a manual therapy that is an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine and uses Chinese medical theory as the basis for its application and actions. Tuina can be thought of as a combination of massage, acupressure and chiropractic. The most common use of Tuina in veterinary medicine is for the treatment of acute and chronic conditions of the musculoskeletal system. Tuina works well to strengthen weak, chronically ill, geriatric and pediatric animals and for animals that will not allow acupuncture needles to be placed and treatments can be taught to owners to do at home.

 

Gold Wire Implantation  - Long-term stimulation of acupuncture points can be achieved by surgically implanting gold wire. In general, this procedure is reserved for pets with severe pain from osteoarthritis and or for animals with conditions or diseases for which conventional medicine and all other methods of treatment have failed. Gold Wire can be used to treat osteoarthritis (hip and elbow dysplasia, degenerative joint disease), neck and back pain.  How gold wire causes its beneficial effects is not known at this time (similar to procedures or medications used in conventional medicine), however their use has proven to be life-saving in many cases where all other methods of treatment have failed.

 

Leech therapy -  Leeches are one of the oldest medical treatments recorded. They are used to relieve pain and restore circulation to areas of the body where circulation is impaired or blocked. Medical leeches have an enzyme in their saliva called hirudin, which acts as a natural anticoagulant. When a leech is applied to a wound, it sucks up blood and releases hirudin, preventing blood from clotting and promoting blood flow and oxygen to the wound. One of the most common conditions treated with leeches in veterinary medicine is osteoarthritis.  Leech therapy treats arthritis pain by relieving the blockage of blood in the joints so the dog can more easily flex and extend the affected joint.  Treatments take approximately 20 minutes and the number of treatments depends on the condition being treated. Medicinal leeches are purchased through approved pharmacies and are a recognized legal medical treatment.

 

Conventional Pain Medications such as aspirin, Tramadol, Gabapentin, Amantadine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. Rimadyl, Galliprant, Metacam), and steroids (prednisone) are commonly used for managing pain and are often combined with other pain-relieving therapies. New injectable drugs for the relief of arthritis are currently being developed as well. These medications can be prescribed by your veterinarian and are very effective to reduce pain and inflammation however they may cause significant adverse effects in the long term. It is important when giving these medications to follow your veterinarian’s instructions and monitor your pet closely for any potential side effects.

 

It is important to discuss all of your options to choose the right treatment plan best suited for your pet’s pain and condition. With the right treatment plan, we can help your pet live a long, happy, pain-free life.