Along with worrying about your pet's health and treatment during a devastating illness like cancer you also have to worry about their quality of life, and controlling the pain associated with the treatment and the disease itself. This is made more complicated by the fact that pets cannot openly communicate with us when they are hurting. Since pets cannot talk and animals instinctively hide pain as much as possible to avoid being prey to others in the wild it can be difficult to be sure you are giving your dog enough help through difficult times.
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Determining Pain Levels
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The first thing your vet will help you do is determine the amount of pain your dog is in and the degree that it affects its quality of life. Your vet will likely ask you questions to help them determine what medications are needed and it is helpful if you know what to look for prior to seeking additional medicine for your dog. A stiff gait, or the tendency to tire quicker than normal is a common indication of pain. Shortened or quickened breathing, pained expressions, licking, loss of bowel or urinary control, change in appetite, a complete lack of desire to move at all, or the inability to move are all signals your dog needs extra help.
Cause of Pain
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The reason for the pain your dog is experiencing will have some bearing on the types of drugs prescribed to treat it. Determining whether pain is temporary and caused by treatments or more devastating and prolonged caused by deteriorating body conditions is important to help distinguish between the types of medications necessary to control the pain.
Medicines
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Cancer pain medication includes non-opioid analgesics for inflammation, steroids and opioid drugs of various strengths are used to combat pain. Opioids are the codeine and morphine types of drugs used to treat serious pain but that need to be controlled to avoid serious adverse reactions or dependencies even in pets. It is important to adhere strictly to the schedule of medications provided by your pet's veterinarian to help keep the pain under control without over-medicating your dog.
Non-medication Pain Management
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Along with your pet's pain medications you need to provide a soft, comfortable bed so that its pain is kept as minimal as possible. Massage therapy is useful when pain is in the muscles and joints. Your veterinarian may also prescribe alternative pain remedies along with prescription medicines such as acupuncture.
Cost
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Pain medication for dogs during cancer treatments cost between $25 and $50.00 a month. Other medications for the treatment of the disease--such as antibiotics or alternative medicine--will add to that cost.
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