Crying Out for Help
There is a major epidemic in the United States…people addicted to pain control medications. It can start out innocently enough but then spiral out of control, often with dire consequences. Sadly, I see too many pets with an issue at the other end of the spectrum…in pain but the suffering is not appreciated by their caregivers. Providing your pet with the best quality of life depends on you recognizing when your pet is in pain, understanding the pathways that lead to pain, knowing how to find a veterinarian who is capable of treating your pet and recognizing which treatments are safe and worth pursuing.
Who better to chat with today than Dr. Michael Petty, author of Dr. Petty's Pain Relief for Dogs: The Complete Medical and Integrative Guide to Treating Pain (Countryman Press, February 2016). He is a veterinarian and certified veterinary pain management expert and acupuncturist. He owns Arbor Pointe Veterinary Hospital and the Animal Pain Center in Canton, Michigan.
BIO:
Dr. Petty is the past president of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management and the co-author of the AAHA/AAFP 2015 Pain Guidelines. A frequent speaker and consultant, he has published articles in veterinary journals and serves in an advisory capacity to several pharmaceutical companies on topics of pain management. Dr. Petty is a frequent lecturer at both national and international veterinary conferences.
Within this sphere of care, he has expanded his knowledge to encompass the most up-to-date and compassionate treatments available. These special skills consist of certification in pain management from several esteemed organizations, including: Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner, Certified Medical Veterinary Acupuncture, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist, and Diplomate, American Academy of Pain Management.