Pet Pain Management: Treatment Options

At South Des Moines Veterinary Center, your pet’s safety and comfort are very important to us. Your pet’s health is at the center of all that we do. We never want your pet to be in pain, and we continuously look for new treatments and techniques to keep your pet comfortable and pain-free.

We take the utmost care to keep your pet as comfortable and pain-free as possible during surgery, and we offer a variety of pain management options, including oral or injectable pain medications and constant rate infusion pumps. We also have a heated surgical table for comfort and improved recovery from anesthesia.

Following your pet’s surgery, we prescribe pain medication that you can administer at home. Our in-house pharmacy carries a variety of different pet pain relief products, and we will work together to find the right one for you and your pet. Our veterinary team is always available to assist you and answer any questions or concerns.

In addition to preventing surgical pain, there are chronic diseases that also cause pain such as arthritis. We strive to find the right treatment to achieve the maximum pet pain relief possible.

Pet Pain Symptoms

Pet pain can be a symptom of many ailments. Please inform us if you notice any signs that your pet may be in pain, such as:

Vocal cues–meowing, growling, yelping
Changes in daily habits–withdrawn, decreased appetite, frequent urination, hiding
Self-mutilation–licking, biting, scratching at a particular body part
Change in activity level–restless, reluctant to move, limps, avoids being handled
Posture–generally lays with feet underneath, arches back
Facial expressions–enlarged pupils, flattened ears, pants when at rest
Self-protection–doesn’t put weight on a limb, doesn’t want to be picked up or held

Please contact us if you suspect your pet is uncomfortable or suffering from pain. We look forward to partnering with you to find pet pain relief that is right for you and your pet.