What Is Animal Pain Awareness Month?

Acute pain caused by a surgical procedure or an injury is usually easy to detect, but signs of chronic pain can be harder to pinpoint, and are often chalked up to "old age." To complicate matters, our feline and canine companions can't tell us what's wrong or where it hurts. To raise awareness of the issue, the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) declared September as Animal Pain Awareness Month. To emphasize that pain is just as much of a problem for animals as it is for us.

IVAPM is committed to education and advocacy regarding pain-management. Toward that end, the global entity is partnering with veterinary organizations to inform the public about animal pain and appropriate veterinary solutions. Even when pet owners realize that their cats or dogs are in distress, they may not know what treatment options are available. A veterinarian will usually use an individually-tailored approach to help a pet in pain. An experienced veterinarian provides therapeutic care that may include medication, rehabilitation, and other pain-management modalities.

Is Your Pet in Pain? Visit Our Des Moines Veterinarian.

If your beloved pet is dealing with arthritis, an injury, or some other painful condition, help is available. At Pawsitive Strides Veterinary & Rehabilitation Therapy, we provide customized solutions to restore your pet's health. Your cat or dog's care plan may include:

• rehabilitation to improve mobility

• weight-management to ease stress on sore joints

• TENS therapy to reduce pain

• alternative therapies such as acupuncture and chiropractic

If you live in the Des Moines area, contact us to schedule an appointment.