Anything that causes pain in people can be expected to cause pain in animals. Pets may not show the same symptoms of pain as people do—they usually don’t whine or cry—but you can be sure they feel it. Pain medications needed will depend on the surgery performed. Major procedures require more pain relief than minor lacerations, for instance.
For dogs, we may recommend an oral anti-inflammatory for several days after surgery to lessen the risk of discomfort and swelling. We use newer medications, which are less likely to cause stomach upset and can be given even the morning of surgery. The cost of the medication ranges from $10 to $15, depending on the size of your dog.
Because cats do not tolerate standard pain medications, we are limited in what we can give them. Fortunately, recent advances in pain medication have allowed for better pain control in cats than ever before. We administer a pain injection 10 minutes before surgery. After surgery, pain medication is given on a case-by-case basis. Any animal that appears to be in pain will receive additional pain medication.
We use narcotic patches for some surgeries in dogs as well. The cost will depend on the size of the dog. Injectable pain medications may also be used after surgery on both dogs and cats. Providing whatever pain relief is appropriate is a humane and caring thing to do for your pet.
