As a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner, Tasha McNerney knows her way around pain detection and control. And she says pain control and prevention is so much more than just the pills that your vet gives you when you pick your dog up after surgery.

Whether your dog is having a minor procedure to remove a small lump or a painful thoracotomy or amputation, pain control starts before the surgery. Some vets will send medications for you to give before coming in that help to calm your dog or provide pain relief. The drugs used to premedicate your dog before anesthesia often have pain-relieving properties as well.

After the surgery, your vet WILL want you to give those pain meds for a couple days, but she will also encourage you to feed a nutritious diet to support healing and may give instructions to ice or massage painful areas. For longer-lasting pain, therapies such as laser, acupuncture, home exercises, and other non-pharmacological techniques may be employed.

Tasha explains all of these things, as well as how to recognize signs of pain that indicate your dog needs extra support.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Show:

Passive Range of Motion (PROM) video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKECEsYJ0r0

International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management: https://ivapm.org/

Related Links:

Cold Laser Therapy for Dogs: Does It Work? podcast episode

Therapy After Leg Amputation for Dog podcast episode

How Does PEMF Therapy Help Dogs with Cancer? podcast episode

Pain Management PLUS: Natural Pain Relief for Dogs article

Signs Your Dog is in Pain podcast episode

Chapters:

0:00 Start

4:30 Effects of Chronic Pain

8:35 Give the Pain Meds

12:11 Preemptive Pain Control

15:32 Signs of Pain

18:16 Nutrition and Healing

25:31 Physical Rehabilitation

29:02 At-Home Pain Relief

32:04 Recovery Times

33:31 Painful Surgeries

37:15 Tasha’s Favorite Pain Control

40:43 Not All About Drugs

About Today’s Guest, Tasha McNerney VTS:

Tasha is a Certified Veterinary Technician form Glenside, PA. She is also a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner and works closely with the IVAPM to educate the public about animal pain awareness. Tasha became a Veterinary Technician Specialist in anesthesia in 2015. Tasha loves to lecture on various anesthesia and pain management topics around the globe and was recently named the VMX 2020 Speaker of the Year for veterinary technicians. Tasha travels across the U.S. to consult with veterinary hospitals on best anesthesia practices. Tasha has authored numerous articles on anesthesia and analgesia topics for veterinary professionals and pet parents. In her spare time Tasha enjoys reading, spending time with her husband and son, and recording the Veterinary Anesthesia Nerds Podcast.

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