Cat Pain Awareness Month

At All About Cats Veterinary Hospital, We Are All About Cats And Cat Pain Awareness Month

We are All About Cats, and we observe Animal Pain Awareness Month in September. Our Las Vegas veterinarian promotes feline health and is here to help your suffering furry friend.

Kitten with an open mouth

What Cat Pain Awareness Month Is

The International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management has declared September as the month to spread awareness about how to recognize a cat in pain. The IVAPM uses this opportunity to educate feline owners about the symptoms of pain in cats and the available treatment options.

Why It Is So Important

Cats or other pets cannot talk to us. They also may not cry out like a human baby or a young human child would. In the wild, cats have to hide their illness so predators won’t see them as weak. Therefore, the symptoms can be subtle, and pet owners should carefully watch their pets for any changes in behavior. Symptoms of pain can be nonspecific including hiding, depression, decreased appetite, changes in the pace or style of walking, and changes in ability to jump up from the floor or down to the floor.

Some other symptoms that are seen when the pain is more severe include restlessness, breathing rapidly despite being at rest, shivering, and/or scratching or licking at the area that hurts. Cats often can hide their pain by showing no symptoms at all.

Pain can occur acutely from an injury, but can also creep up slowly from conditions like advancing arthritis. Cat owners don’t always notice when the discomfort advances slowly with time. It’s important to always assess what your cat’s abilities are compared to how they used to be. Can your cat still jump to the kitchen counter? Can he still jump down from the bed? Does he still sleep curled up in a comfortable ball, or does he no longer curl into that position? Dies he seem stiff and slow when walking?

How Your Las Vegas Veterinarian Treats A Cat In Pain

There are a lot of choices when it comes to treating pain. Our vets can advise lifestyle changes that may help to decrease repetitive injury. There are also nutritional supplements that are very effective for treating degenerative arthritis. Many different medication choices are available to help your cat feel better including anti-inflammatories, opioids and several other drug classes. Your vet will select medications based on your cat’s overall health and age.

Contact Our All About Cats Veterinary Hospital in Las Vegas, NV Today!

We do not want your pet to continue in pain. Contact All About Cats in Las Vegas at (702) 257-3222 for an appointment or email us if you have questions.

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