Animal Pain Awareness Month 2021

By | September 4, 2021
THINGS TO DO DURING ‘Animal Pain Awareness Month’

According to the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC), more than 45 million household pets suffer from either acute or chronic pain. To spread awareness about pain management in domestic animals, the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) had announced September as ‘Animal Pain Awareness Month’ in September 2015. 

What is The Need for ‘Animal Pain Awareness Month’?

Pets feel the pain the same way we do. The worrying thing is pets are not verbally communicative, and as a result, we as their parents always need to be on our toes to recognize their discomfort when they are in pain. Moreover, dogs in particular inherit the virtue of hiding pain as they were once hunting predators and could not afford to show their pain because an injured animal could mean an easy target for other wild animals. This virtue makes it even harder for dog owners to see the pain when their animal companion is suffering. So, educating people about their pet’s pain management is needed for the health and well-being of their animal friends.

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Through Animal Pain Awareness Month, the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) aims to encourage veterinarians to educate their clients about how to recognize and manage acute and chronic pain in their pets through traditional and complementary treatments.

3 Things To Do During ‘Animal Pain Awareness Month’

1. Discuss With Your Friends and Family

There are people in our own community who are not aware about how to manage pain and pay attention to their pet’s discomfort, especially when pets badly require it. Discussing how you helped your pet with its pain to your close ones can help them prevent their pet from suffering.

2. Show Up On Social Media

Social media is one of the best platforms to spread the awareness to not only the people you know, but you can even educate complete strangers about their pet’s health.

3. Take your Pet to the Vet

If you have not seen your vet for some time or your pet has started to show certain signs of soreness, the month of September is the perfect time to consult your veterinarian.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE PAIN IN PETS?

There are many forms of pain such as acute pain caused due to a surgery or an injury, which is easy to detect. On the other hand, chronic pain such as arthritic pain or pain caused by cancer is slow to develop which could be hurting the animal for a while before it shows the signs of stiffness. So, it is very important to recognize the subtle physical or behavioral changes in pets to provide them early aid and minimize the damage. 

Physical Signs:

There is a noticeable change in how pets carry their body when they are in pain. Here are some signs:

  • Shaking or Trembling
  • Slow down in activity (avoid stairs, don’t play as much, avoid jumping)
  • Arched Back
  • Holding their heads below their shoulders
  • Panting
  • Excessive Grooming
  • Increased respiration 

Behavioral Signs:

Pets change their behavior when experiencing pain, though it is unintentional but recognized with the signs mentioned below:

  • Become Aggressive
  • Restlessness
  • Not wanting to be touched
  • Become extremely vocal
  • Over-licking
  • Decreased appetite

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MANAGING PAIN:

Recognize the signs pets show symbolizing pain so that necessary steps should be taken to curb the illness.

Contact your veterinarian if you see any changes in your pet’s behavior and tell your veterinarian as much as possible about your pet’s discomfort.

Joint care supplements such as Mobiflex or Seraquin can be a good choice when it comes to managing pain. It will help reduce the pain and inflammation by improving bone health. Arthrimed Powder is one of the trusted brands for pain related to arthritis. It is recommended checking with your vet first before using these products on your pet.

Other non-pharmacological treatments such as Acupuncture, laser therapy and local therapeutic massage therapy are a few alternatives for managing pain.

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PREVENTION: 

Restrict movements to avoid additional injuries. Kennels or leashes should be used to lower the physical activities.

A regular visit to the veterinarian can help detect a major illness in your pet before it is too late.

Following a healthy lifestyle is the key towards a healthy and happy life. Regular exercise and a healthy diet should be followed for every pet to achieve long-term health benefits for your pet.

THE RESOLUTION: 

On this Animal Pain Awareness Month, let us all take a resolution to make our pets pain free and gift them a very best of their health.