Pain Management: Services to Keep Your Pet Comfortable and Pain-Free
When our pets are in pain, so are we. At Transit Valley Animal Hospital, we aim to provide a higher quality of life to pets suffering from pain or chronic conditions.
How to Know When Your Pet Is in Pain
Whether caused by arthritis, dental disease, aging, or something else, pets do their best to hide their pain. Cats are especially skilled at this, so cat owners should be vigilant about watching for signs of discomfort.
Keep an eye out for these behaviors and symptoms to help recognize if your pet is feeling pain:
- Sleeping more often
- Retreating/hiding
- Lack of appetite
- Cries, bares teeth, or snaps if touched
- Trembling
- Lameness
- Reluctant to stand or walk
- Hesitating to jump up or jump down from a higher level
- Licks or paws at themself
Pain Management Services
To help prevent pain, keeping up with your pet’s annual exams and vaccinations is essential. This is particularly important for senior pets to help prevent or manage conditions associated with aging.
We offer services to help manage your pet’s pain, including:
Acupuncture
Transit Valley Animal Hospital is pleased to offer acupuncture for pain management. Your pet doesn’t have to be a current patient with us to receive acupuncture services. During acupuncture treatment, a very fine needle is inserted into specific points on your pet’s body to promote healing and pain relief. Acupuncture has a long history in Chinese medicine to treat many ailments and as preventive medicine, for both animals and humans alike.
The ancient Chinese discovered that the health of the body depends on the state of Qi (pronounced Chee). Qi is the life force or vital energy. Physiologically, Qi flows throughout the body, maintaining balance. Qi can be interrupted by any pathological factor such as disease or pain. When this occurs, balance will be lost and Qi will be blocked. Acupuncture stimulation resolves this blockage, freeing the flow of Qi and enabling the body to heal itself. Dr. Sutton provides acupuncture services and also has an interest in herbal medicine to offer as an adjunct to western medicine or as an alternative.
General Pain Management
Special diets, joint health supplements, over-the-counter and prescription medications, and injections can help manage your pet’s pain. We can choose from our well-stocked, in-house pharmacy to prescribe the most effective medication for your pet’s needs.
We offer Class IV Laser Therapy
Class IV laser therapy is one of the fastest growing modalities in the veterinary profession. Multiple clinical studies have proven that laser therapy relieves pain and inflammation, stimulates nerve regeneration, speeds up healing, prevents scarring, and reduces swelling. Nearly 80% of veterinary patients can benefit from laser therapy.
Transit Valley Animal Hospital provides both traditional and alternative pain management therapies to keep your pet happy and comfortable.
Please Callif you have any questions about pain management or to schedule your pet’s appointment.
