Introduction to complementary and alternative pain management in canines

Brianna Summers
Thursday, July 2, 2020

Pain management can easily be overlooked in the overall care of canine patients. Often, oral pain medications are the only means of pain control provided to clients. There are several other options for pain managements in canine patients. There are many benefits to adding additional modes of pain relief to the patient's care regimen, whether they have chronic conditions such as arthritis or a neurological disease, or are recovering from a procedure. Pain control therapies such as: therapeutic laser, targeted pulsed electro magnetic field technology, ultrasound, acupuncture, and massage and passive range of motion combined or individually, neuromuscular electrical stimulation and transcutaneous electrical stimulation, can benefit canine patients greatly in their pain management needs. All of these pain therapies provide unique modes of pain relief in the patient's body.

Figure 1. A therapeutic laser unit used for laser therapy in veterinary rehabilitation medicine.
Figure 1. A therapeutic laser unit used for laser therapy in veterinary rehabilitation medicine.

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