Some animals will hide their pain. In the wild, animals that appear sick or injured are vulnerable to predators. For this reason, our pets (especially our cats) often disguise pain and hide signs from us -- sometimes for long periods of time.
As a pet owner, you are in the best position to notice subtle changes. We can help you determine if those changes indicate your pet is in pain. The sooner your pet’s pain is diagnosed and treated, the sooner he or she can heal and resume a normal, happy life.
No single medication or method is effective in all pain situations, and most veterinarians lack the training and the time to research different modalities and medications we can use to increase comfort for our pets. Far too often we see pets given only non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), or placed on doses of other pain medications in combinations and dosages that are inadequate to achieve pain control.
The inability to communicate in no way negates the possibility that an individual is experiencing pain and is in need of appropriate pain relieving treatment.
Here at CARE Pet Therapy Center, our Pain Management team members devote hundreds of hours in advanced training to recognize and treat pain in our patients. Our approach is to address pain by incorporating multiple modalities: medications, supplements, herbal therapies, physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, myofascial trigger point therapy, and other treatments.
The primary professionals on our team, Dr. Polly Fleckenstein and Lis Conarton, LVT, are consistently receiving the most advanced formal training in veterinary pain management and complementary modalities, making them uniquely qualified to assist your pet. They have both been certified as Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioners (CVPP) through the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management.
- Advanced Medication Therapy
- "Pain Holidays"
- Geriatric assessement and care
- Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy
- Acupuncture
- Laser
We will work with you to find a program that is manageable for you and effective for and well tolerated by your pet. The CARE team will collaborate with your primary care veterinarian and our team of specialists at VMC to ensure that we take into account any existing diseases or conditions that you pet may have.