Feline pain was the topic at a recent symposium aimed at both veterinarians and cat lovers
By Kim Campbell Thornton
Andrews McMeel Syndication
Veterinary professionals and cat lovers came together earlier this month at the EveryCat Health Foundation/North Carolina State University Feline Pain Symposium to learn about the latest in recognizing, managing and preventing pain in cats.
Cats need all the help they can get when it comes to recognizing pain, awareness of potential sources of pain, handling to prevent or reduce pain and best practices for treating and managing pain. Here’s a brief report on what top veterinary pet pain professionals shared about this complex subject.
First, how did NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine become a co-sponsor of the event? Last April, they opened their Feline Health Center, with the goal of addressing cats’ unique health and behavior needs. It’s co-directed by behavior specialist Margaret Gruen, DVM, and emergency and critical-care specialist Alex Lynch, MRCVS.
Keynote speaker Duncan Lascelles, director of NCSU’s Comparative Pain Research and Education Centre, has spent his career studying the effects of pain on pets and better ways to treat it. Whenever he’s asked why it’s important to treat pet pain, his answer is simple: “It’s the right thing to do.” Want a biological reason? Pain relief speeds healing.
Behavior changes are the best way to determine the presence and progression of pain, Gruen says. Pain affects behavior in consistent ways. Instead of one huge leap, cats start to make little jumps, using furniture or other objects as aids. When they jump down, they hesitate, inching their way down a cabinet or sofa. They use a bunny hop to go up stairs. “These are really typical behaviors that shift. What’s key about them is how they change,” Gruen says. Video of feline activity at home can help you and your veterinarian catch changes before pain worsens.
Anesthesia and analgesia specialist Tamara Grubb, DVM, Ph.D., made the important point that just because cats with signs of pain are eating well doesn’t mean they’re not in pain. “Not eating is a problem. Still eating doesn’t mean anything,” she says. “They’re hiding pain and they’re eating because they want to live.” But instead of chowing down on their food, they may take all day to finish it. Note whether and how your cat’s eating habits have changed.
Another food-related tip came from licensed veterinary technician Kara Burns, who holds master’s degrees in physiology and counseling psychology and is a veterinary technician specialist in nutrition. Burns spoke on ways to manage urinary tract pain. While she believes therapeutic food is important in managing urinary tract diseases, noting that therapeutic nutrition is associated with an 89% reduction in the rate of recurrent episodes of feline interstitial cystitis, she doesn’t hesitate to say that it’s more important to feed cats what they’ll eat. Going without food is more harmful to their health than not eating a therapeutic food.
Radiation therapy is being used to reduce pain from oral tumors (common in cats), feline interstitial cystitis, orthopedic disease, inflammatory bowel disease and inflammatory rhinitis, says internal medicine and veterinary radiology specialist Tracy Gieger, DVM. External beam radiation therapy can be performed on an outpatient basis, sometimes on the same day as the initial consult, she says. Although the patient must be anesthetized, most treatments take less than 30 minutes. If your cat might benefit, ask your veterinarian or local veterinary specialty hospitals about it.
Wendy Simpson, DVM, of Morrisville Cat Hospital, gave a passionate presentation on ways to handle cats kindly and compassionately. For people who have issues pilling cats, she recommends placing bitter pills or multiple medications inside gelatin capsules so the cat must be pilled only once. “Coat pills with butter before giving, and follow with treats or canned food,” she says.
The worst thing about pain is that it fractures the human-animal bond, Grubb says. “Cats are grumpy, hiding, less friendly, but people don’t realize it’s caused by pain.” Pain can be managed, so get help for your cat.
Q&A
How vets make
anesthesia safer
Q: My dog’s teeth really need to be cleaned, but the thought of anesthesia scares me. How safe is it?
A: Good for you for having your dog’s teeth cleaned! It's so important for health and comfort.
Back in the day, pets used to be put under anesthesia by placing a mask over the face or putting the pet in a box with anesthetic gas delivered to it. The most up-to-date method -- intravenous injection of induction drugs -- is more controlled and much safer than using "boxing down" or a mask procedure. Modern anesthetic agents help dogs go to sleep safely, effectively and smoothly. When that happens, they also wake up smoothly and peacefully.
The monitoring and care pets receive while under anesthesia is comparable to what you might receive if you were undergoing surgery. Ask your veterinarian the following questions to ensure that your pet will have a safe anesthetic experience:
-- Will you do blood work to make sure my dog doesn’t have any underlying conditions that could increase anesthesia risk? (This costs extra, but it's worth it to make sure your dog can be anesthetized safely. If your pet has insurance that includes professional cleanings, this blood work should be covered.)
--Will my dog receive a pre-anesthetic sedative beforehand to help reduce stress?
-- Will my dog receive intravenous fluids during the procedure to help prevent dehydration?
-- What will be monitored while my dog is under anesthesia? (The answer may include blood pressure, blood oxygenation, temperature and electrocardiography to keep tabs on the heart.)
-- Do you have a heated table or blankets to keep my pet warm during and after the procedure? (Maintaining body temperature helps to keep your dog comfortable and allows the body to better metabolize the anesthesia drugs.) -- Dr. Marty Becker
THE BUZZ
Watch out
for snakes
-- With warming weather, snakes are coming out of brumation, a type of hibernation, increasing pets’ risk of encountering them. Not all snakes are venomous, but a bite can still injure your dog or cat. If you live in an area with rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, water moccasins, or coral snakes, take extra care to prevent run-ins with them. Keep pets away from snake habitats such as tall grass, leaf or wood piles, sheds and less-trafficked areas such as outbuildings. If your pet is bitten, even if you know the snake is non-venomous, seek immediate veterinary attention, says Christine Rutter, DVM, clinical associate professor of emergency medicine at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Remove your pet’s collar right away to ensure it doesn’t cause choking if swelling occurs around the head or neck. If you can do so without danger or delay, photograph the snake or make a note of its size, color and markings to help your veterinarian determine appropriate treatment.
-- Got a brand-new puppy? Start housetraining right away. Remember that puppies don’t have good bladder or sphincter control yet, and excitement can make them need to pee or poop. Take pups out to potty after 15 to 20 minutes of indoor play, as well as after every meal. Set a timer or have a smart speaker remind you to take your new pal out at set times during the day, based on your pup’s individual needs. Schedule potty outings first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
-- The sweet spots for petting cats are where their scent glands are located. Scratch beneath the chin, at the base of the ears and on the cheeks behind the whiskers. If your cat leans in or bumps you with her head, you’re doing it right! -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker
ABOUT PET CONNECTION
Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Bluesky at kimthornton.bsky.social. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.