The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) just recently released the 2022 AAHA Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats (J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2022; 58:55–76. DOI 10.5326/JAAHA-MS-7292) - a wonderful resource for veterinary practitioners. As they state in their introduction, "Pain management is central to veterinary clinical practice."

We all understand pain - what it feels like and how it impacts our quality of life. We humans know all too well how back pain and joint pain can interfere with activities of daily life as well as our overall zest or zeal for getting out and about. Animals experience pain, too! In fact, 30-50% of dogs and cats will be affected by osteoarthritis ("OA" or arthritis) at some point in their lives, and many of these animals actually start to show signs of arthritic pain as early as 6 months of age. In addition, soft tissue problems such as ligament injuries or muscle strains can contribute to pain and deterioration of joints due to the disruption of the normal "physics" and working relationships between all of these tissues and structures.

... Arthritis can start very young and is a long-lasting disease. Early recognition and treatment can be a game changer and dramatically alter the course of the disease.

Early Detection and Intervention

Arthritis is a painful and degenerative disease. Early on the signs may be subtle, but as the condition progresses it can become quite debilitating. Early recognition is not only important for helping to bring relief to the affected pet, but interventions can actually help to slow the progression of joint destruction and dramatically alter the trajectory of the disease. 

Pets That Seem to "Act Old' or "Slow Down"

Sure, with aging we all slow down to some degree. But age is not a disease. On the other hand, pain (specifically chronic pain) can lead to amplified or more generalized pain states (maladaptive pain) which can, in turn, cause our pets to "slow down" or "act old." They don't want to do the things they used to seem to enjoy.

... Eliminating pain can often make an aging pet seem more like a puppy or kitten again.

Raising the Bar in How You're Treating Pain ... It's Way More Than Just "Pain Meds" 

Less pain means an improved quality of life, and with knowledge comes power and change. There are tools available to help everyone do a better a job in recognizing and managing OA, and we're here to tell you what, when, and how! You'll hear from experts on what you can be doing to better care for painful pets.

... Inspiring Hope. Driving Change.


Prescribing pain meds and hoping for improvement is not a good strategy. Awaken your senses and spark your curiosity! Join us in a one-of-a-kind virtual Summit and learn about the EXCITING and CUTTING EDGE strategies that veterinarians and pet owners can include in caring for painful dogs and cats. We are bringing renowned veterinary and industry experts together to share their KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM, and EXPERTISE to guide you in understanding:

• How to recognize early stages of OA and what the trajectory or progression of arthritis looks like
• Signs and behaviors that indicate pain and how to localize the source of that pain
  
  
• Anti-inflammatories and other pain medications. Some pain meds, including NSAIDs, can have side effects and may be contraindicated in pets with liver, kidney, or GI problems.  Learn what else we can do for these animals. 
  
  
• The "holistic" and multimodal approach to management of osteoarthritis - it's not just that bottle of pain meds or anti-inflammatories that is going to help these animals. We'll be talking about nutrition / supplements, physical interventions & exercises, complementary / integrative modalities that can help in modulating inflammation and pain, regenerative medicine, and other novel treatments that are on the horizon.
  
  
• How to monitor patients and change treatment plans to best care for individuals - every animal is different.  Treatment is not a "one-size-fits-all" approach.
  
  
• The costs of care and how to manage them. All of these wonderful treatment options cost money, so how can we support pet owners in affording all of this care?

Best of all, if you attend live you can get your questions answered by top experts in veterinary orthopedics and pain management!

Learn More about this Summit or Register Now