Dog & Cat HospitalCalabasas

Patient Education

Pain Management

Multimodal pain relief for arthritis, surgical recovery, and chronic conditions — combining medications and adjunct therapies to keep your pet comfortable and moving.

Pain is dramatically underrecognized and undertreated in veterinary patients — pets cannot describe what hurts or how much, and many show pain only through subtle behavioral changes that owners and even experienced veterinarians can miss. Chronic pain from arthritis is one of the most prevalent conditions in middle-aged and senior dogs and cats, and acute pain following surgery or injury requires proactive management to prevent long-term sensitization of the nervous system. Dog & Cat Hospital Calabasas approaches pain management with the same multimodal philosophy used in human medicine: combining several drugs or therapies that work through different mechanisms achieves better pain control at lower individual doses, reducing side-effect risk while maximizing comfort. Effective pain relief is not a luxury — it is a fundamental component of quality care.

How It Works

A pain management plan begins with identifying the source, character, and severity of pain — acute versus chronic, nociceptive (tissue-based) versus neuropathic (nerve-based). The veterinarian then selects the combination of interventions most appropriate for that patient:

  • NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) — the most widely used class for chronic musculoskeletal pain in dogs; they reduce inflammation and provide reliable analgesia with good safety in appropriately screened patients; cats have limited safe NSAID options, but meloxicam is used at low doses with monitoring in some patients
  • Anti-NGF antibody therapy — a newer class of monthly injectable medications; Librela (for dogs) and Solensia (for cats) block the nerve growth factor pathway, reducing pain signals from arthritic joints with an excellent safety profile for patients who cannot tolerate NSAIDs
  • Gabapentin — effective for neuropathic and chronic pain in both species; frequently combined with an NSAID for additive effect and used for surgical pain management as well
  • Amantadine — an NMDA (glutamate receptor) antagonist that addresses the central sensitization component of chronic pain, often added when NSAIDs alone are not providing adequate relief
  • Environmental and physical modifications — non-pharmacological measures including orthopedic bedding, ramps or steps to reduce joint loading, low-impact exercise, and weight management meaningfully reduce arthritic pain burden
  • Rehabilitation exercises — targeted range-of-motion work and muscle strengthening support joint stability and are increasingly integrated into chronic pain management

Your pet deserves to feel comfortable

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What to Expect

Chronic pain management is a process of finding the right combination for the individual pet — what works well for one arthritic dog may not be the ideal starting point for another. The first follow-up visit typically occurs 2–4 weeks after a new medication is started to assess response and watch for any side effects. For NSAID therapy in dogs, baseline bloodwork and periodic renal and hepatic monitoring are part of the safety protocol. Owners are the most reliable reporters of pain response — specific, structured questionnaires (such as the Helsinki Chronic Pain Index or the Glasgow Pain Scale) help quantify what the owner is observing at home, and the team uses these alongside physical examination findings to guide adjustments. For acute post-surgical pain, the timeline is more predictable and medications are tapered as healing progresses.

Good Candidates

  • Dogs or cats with diagnosed osteoarthritis who are showing reduced activity, difficulty rising, reluctance to jump, or behavioral changes consistent with chronic pain
  • Senior pets who seem to have "slowed down" — many owners attribute normal aging to changes that are actually undertreated pain
  • Pets currently on a single pain medication that is not providing adequate relief — multimodal combinations often succeed when monotherapy does not
  • Post-surgical patients who need structured acute pain management through the recovery period
  • Dogs who cannot tolerate NSAIDs due to kidney disease, GI ulceration, or prior adverse reactions — anti-NGF therapy and gabapentin-based protocols offer effective alternatives
  • Cats with arthritis — a frequently underdiagnosed population, since cats tend to reduce activity and hide pain rather than vocalize or limp openly
  • Pets with cancer-related pain that significantly reduces quality of life and can be meaningfully improved with the right pain management protocol

Frequently Asked Questions

1How can I tell if my dog is in pain?
Visible limping is obvious, but many dogs show pain through subtler changes: reluctance to climb stairs or jump into the car, hesitation when getting up from rest, decreased interest in play or walks, changes in sleeping position, or increased irritability when touched. A pain assessment at a veterinary visit can confirm what the owner suspects.
2Do cats feel pain from arthritis?
Absolutely — arthritis is very common in cats over age 10, and studies using X-rays suggest it is even more prevalent than in dogs. Cats typically do not limp; instead they become less active, stop jumping to elevated surfaces, groom less, or eliminate outside the litter box if the sides are too high to step over. Treatment is very effective once the diagnosis is made.
3Is it safe to give my dog ibuprofen or Tylenol for pain?
No — human NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen, and acetaminophen (Tylenol), are toxic to dogs and especially cats. Even small doses can cause life-threatening gastrointestinal ulceration, kidney failure, and liver failure. Only veterinary-approved pain medications should be used in pets.
4What is Librela and how does it work for dog arthritis?
Librela (bedinvetmab) is a monthly injectable monoclonal antibody that targets nerve growth factor (NGF), a key pain signaling molecule in arthritic joints. By blocking NGF, it reduces the transmission of pain signals from affected joints. It is particularly valuable for dogs who cannot take NSAIDs and offers a new mechanism compared to traditional arthritis medications.
5How long can a dog or cat stay on pain medication?
Chronic pain is a lifelong condition, and long-term medication is appropriate and safe when properly monitored. Dogs on NSAIDs receive periodic bloodwork to monitor kidney and liver values; gabapentin and anti-NGF therapies have excellent long-term safety profiles. The goal is not to taper off medication prematurely but to use the minimum effective dose for the best possible quality of life.
6Are joint supplements helpful for arthritis in dogs?
Glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) have modest supporting evidence in dogs, and fish oil in particular has anti-inflammatory properties with a favorable safety profile. They are useful adjuncts to prescription pain management but are not a substitute for medication in a pet already showing significant pain.
7Will my arthritic dog get worse even with treatment?
Osteoarthritis is a progressive condition — the structural changes in the joint cannot be reversed. The goal of treatment is to keep the pet comfortable and functional for as long as possible, and many arthritic dogs and cats do very well for years with appropriate management. Weight control, low-impact exercise, and proactive pain management all slow functional decline.

Related

ConditionsArthritis & Joint Pain

Your pet deserves to feel comfortable

If your dog or cat has been "slowing down," a pain evaluation is the right first step — many pets respond dramatically to a well-structured pain management plan.

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