Pain Management

The Reactive Referral Center now offers multimodal pain management options.

Pain plays an important role in the health of our pets. And can often lead to behavioral changes. Unfortunately, as humans we are not great at understanding the ways our pets communicate pain. Oftentimes they do not vocalize their pain but instead let us know in more subtle ways. Little things like an abnormal gait or hesitation to do stairs can mean your pet is experiencing chronic pain. Unregulated pain can be detrimental to the longevity and quality of your pets life. Dr. Paukette will tailor a pain management protocol to fit each pet’s needs. Treatments may include:

  • Acupuncture:

    Acupuncture uses fine needles to stimulate specific points on the body which triggers the nervous system to release natural pain relieving chemicals and alter nerve signals, thus reducing pain and improving function. Acupuncture isn’t just about blocking pain, it’s about neuromodulation which means its changing nerve activity to restore balance in the body. This can help calm the sympathetic nervous system (the “fight or flight” response) and increase parasympathetic activity ( the “rest and digest” response) which can improve overall well being and help with conditions like: arthritis, IVDD, neurologic disorders, chronic pain conditions, gastrointestinal disease, metabolic disease, incontinence, allergies, and behavior.

    Acupuncture can be done as a sole treatment or in conjunction with Western medicine.

  • Laser Therapy:

    The therapeutic laser, also known as cold laser, is the use of focused wavelengths of light to encourage tissue repair and relieve pain. The light energy interacts with cells, promoting cellular metabolism and increased blood flow to the treated area. This helps in reducing pain, swelling and promoting healing. Common uses for laser therapy are: Chronic arthritis, joint pain, wounds and surgical incisions.

  • Pharmaceuticals: 

    • Anti-inflammatory and neurological pain management medications.

    • Librela (Dogs):Librela Is the First and Only Monthly Injectable Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for Dogs With OA Pain

    • Solensia (Cats): Solensia Is the First and Only Monthly Injectable Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for Cats With OA Pain

  • Supplements:

    There are a variety of nutraceutical products available to support your pet pain care. We will discuss which products and dosing are suitable for your pets specific needs

  • In Depth Discussion Of At Home Management Techniques And Products:

  • Referral To Physical Therapy


Is your pet experiencing pain? Check out the pain scales below.