With a child's toothbrush, a finger brush or a special cat toothbrush, brush your feline's teeth with cat toothpaste on a regular basis. Start slowly and very gently, offering tasty treats to discourage squirming, before attempting to increase brushing times.
read moreFrom dealing with bad knees to recovering from a recent surgery, cats nationwide are benefiting from new interest in animal pain management treatments. These veterinary practices specializing in pain alleviation are now available to help you and your cat, no matter the situation, whether you have an elderly cat or one suffering from a more chronic condition.
How the Process Starts
All veterinarians offer pain medications, but you might want a specialist in pain management. If so, and depending on where you live, you might wind up at places like the Animal Pain Management Center in Snyder, N.Y.; The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management in Windsor, Colo.; or at Mountain Ridge Animal Hospital & Pain Management Center in Lafayette, Colo.
Even if you are seeking a second opinion, your cat will likely have to undergo routine blood work and X-rays. “These allow us to see exactly what’s going on,” says Michele Beveridge, practice manager of Mountain Ridge. Cats are notorious for hiding pain and illness. Conversely, some of their behaviors might be misinterpreted as pain. It’s therefore essential to find out the truth behind the symptoms. “We cannot just pass out medications,” says Beveridge. “If medications are prescribed, we also have to run routine blood tests, since each individual handles medications differently.”
Available Treatments
Once a diagnosis is made, one or more pain medications may be prescribed. Alternative treatments are also possible. These could be offered in addition to the prescribed meds. They may include one or more of the following:
Cats Can Live a Pain-free Life
Thanks to new therapies and animal pain management specialists, your cat has a very good chance of living a long, healthy and pain-free life. If your cat suffers from a serious illness, sometimes discomfort can hurt the chances for healing. For example, many cat cancer patients suffer from appetite loss after chemotherapy. Bianchi believes acupuncture can help to both relieve pain following cancer treatments and prevent this loss of appetite that often happens. Your cat then has a better chance of eating as usual, keeping your pet’s strength up at a time when fortitude is needed.
Your cat’s behavior might even improve for the better. “Many times, a pet may act out or be aggressive toward other humans or animals because of pain,” says Bianchi. “By relieving the pain, a pet’s natural even temperament emerges, resolving the behavioral problems.”
Jennifer Viegas is the managing editor of The Daily Cat. She is a journalist for Discovery News, the news service for the Discovery Channel, and has written more than 20 books on animals, health and other science-related topics.
Cats reach full skeletal development when they are this old: