Secret #11- OUCH!

"Alot of veterinarians have told me matter-of-factly that they still don't use painkillers for procedures that we know are painful. They think that dogs and cats don't need it or that feeling pain after surgery is good because it keeps them from moving around too much. But reasearch has shown that pets who are in less pain heal faster, sleep better, and don't move around as much."

In my opinion, painkillers are not an option. Pre-empting pain by giving pain medication before surgery helps recovery immensely. Pain meds after extensive (and maybe not so extensive) surgery is a given.

It's true pets react differently to pain that we do, but that doesn't mean they don't feel it the same way we do. And there are, in fact, very good studies showing how much better pets do when their pain is well controlled. So, yes, I agree.

There may be vets who do not understand the benefits of excellent pain control, but I hesitate to agree that there are "alot" of them. I think the evidence for pain control is out there, agreed upon, and generally considered to be the standard of care. Sure, there are sub-par vets in existance, but I think they are a distinct minority.



Enjoy your pets!