Watch the animal for signs of pain or unusual behaviors.
Each animal should have a pain management plan based on the expected type, amount, and length of pain (like after surgery).
Use drugs and other pain-relieving treatments, like warm compresses, massage, and physical therapy.
Because pain signs can be hard to see, vets might give pain medicine and watch for signs of improvement.
Giving pain medicine regularly is usually best, because pain signs can be hard to detect.
Sometimes combining different types of pain medicine works better than giving single drugs and allows smaller doses of each drug.
Animals in pain can also feel anxious, so vets might give anti-anxiety drugs after pain medicine.
Good pain relief helps animals rest. After surgery, pets may sleep more but should still be easy to wake. If you can't wake your pet or it seems too sleepy, call your vet.
