Are You a Pet Pain Brain?
Both acute and chronic pain show up differently in pets than they do in people, and even the most loving pet owner can miss subtle signs of pain. The veterinarians on your team aren’t the only ones who can help: every member of the veterinary team can help pain be detected earlier and managed better. Asking the right questions makes a big difference – and so does the approach we take in the exam room.
Take this quiz with your teammates and see how your pain perception measures up.
Both acute and chronic pain show up differently in pets than they do in people, and even the most loving pet owner can miss subtle signs of pain. The veterinarians on your team aren’t the only ones who can help: every member of the veterinary team can help pain be detected earlier and managed better. Asking the right questions makes a big difference – and so does the approach we take in the exam room.
Take this quiz with your teammates and see how your pain perception measures up.
An owner of a middle-aged cat asks you how she would know if her cat was starting to suffer from arthritis. Which of her cat’s behaviors should you advise her to observe closely?
a. Running, jumping up, jumping down, time spent hiding, appetite, going up stairs
b. Running, jumping down, time spent hiding, appetite, going down stairs, going up stairs
c. Running, jumping down, jumping up, going up stairs, going down stairs, chasing objects
d. Running, time spent hiding, appetite, stiffness after rest, going up stairs, going down stairs
The Feline Grimace Scale is used to assess the level of ____________ in cats.
a. Acute pain
b. Chronic pain
c. Fear, anxiety, and stress
d. All of the above
According to the Feline Grimace Scale, how painful is this cat?
a. Moderately to very painful
b. Likely not painful
c. Pain cannot be assessed using facial expression in cats
After a cat has a leg amputation performed in your hospital, you call her owner the following day for an update. Her owner reports she seems to be doing fine, but she hasn’t seen her much, which is unusual since she’s usually a very sociable cat. She also has not been able to administer medications since she’s hiding under the bed and can’t be reached. What is the best response to this owner?
a. Hiding is a sign that cats feel comfortable. The best course of action is to leave her alone to let her heal.
b. Hiding and antisocial behavior can be a sign of pain in cats. It’s important that the owner keep her in a location where she can observe her behavior and give her medication.
c. If the owner can get pain medication into the cat for a couple of days, observation is less important as her pain is likely to be controlled.
d. None of the above answers are appropriate responses.
At a senior wellness exam, an owner reports that her dog is getting “grouchy in her old age.” She seems irritable when woken up from naps, is less willing to play with the other dogs in the house, and snapped at the owner’s grandchild, whom she normally loves, when she went to pet her last week. Once she is on her walks or eating her meals, she seems perfectly normal. What should you tell this owner?
a. Personality changes can be a sign of pain.
b. She is probably losing her sight and is easily startled.
c. Neither A nor B is likely to be the cause of her behavior.
d. Either A or B, or both, could be responsible for her behavior.
A frustrated pet owner asks you why her 12 year old Rottweiler with severe arthritis in both hips is having accidents in the house at night and while she is alone in the house during the day. She feels the dog is getting “rebellious” in her old age. What is an important follow-up question for this owner?
a. Is the dog able to posture (squat) to urinate until she is completely finished?
b. What methods has the owner tried to discipline her for urinating inappropriately?
c. When the owner is home and awake, is the dog asking to go out more frequently?
d. A and C
In the exam room, a client tells you that her senior dog is slowing down quite a bit, but she believes it’s just old age and feels he isn’t in any pain. How might you respond?
a. Agree - old age is likely the cause when senior dogs seem to lose their pep.
b. Vent to your coworkers about this irresponsible client.
c. Ask for more information about her dog’s behavior.
d. Reprimand the client for not wanting to address her dog’s discomfort.
The detection and management of pain begins:
a. When the veterinarian starts to examine the patient.
b. The moment any team member begins to observe the patient.
c. The moment a team member speaks to the pet owner about the patient.
d. When pain is definitively diagnosed and a treatment plan is established.
A client arrives a little late for his cat’s wellness visit. To save time, the veterinary assistant gently pulls the cat out of her dusty carrier and puts her on the scale. The veterinarian begins her physical exam right away while talking to the owner, who is concerned that the cat may be suffering from arthritis pain. The cat sits hunched on the exam table, unwilling to allow the veterinarian to examine her joints, and refuses to move. Which of the following would likely have helped the team perform a more thorough evaluation of the cat’s comfort level?
a. The cat could have been given anxiety medication at home to help her relax
b. The owner and cat could have been allowed a few minutes in the exam room to see if she would come out of the carrier on her own
c. The owner and cat could have been instructed to wait in the car for another 30 minutes before being seen
d. A and B
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