New Alternatives to the Dreaded “Cone of Shame”

A woman holds a cat in a cone of shame.

Most pet owners are familiar with the Elizabethan collar, or e-collar for short. Often referred to as the “cone of shame”, this collar has a much-maligned reputation, despite it serving an essential role in post-surgery recovery for dogs and cats. 

Designed to protect pets from licking or chewing at surgical wounds, bandages, sores or itchy spots, the e-collar has been a ‘go-to’ helper for many years and there are several versions that have become available over time.  

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When a Kiss Won’t Cut it: A Spotlight on Pet Pain Management

Pet pain management is key to your pet living a long lifeWhen it comes to pet pain management, veterinary medicine has made tremendous strides in the past century. It’s now common knowledge that pets feel pain in much the same way as humans and that chronic pain can impair the healing process by interfering with immune function, decreasing appetite, and increasing anxiety.

At Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center, improving the quality and longevity of our patients’ lives is one of our top priorities. Let’s take a moment to focus on a pet’s pain and the various ways we can help manage it.

Assessing Pet Pain

Identifying a pet’s pain is the first step towards treatment. Most animals will hide signs of pain and discomfort because this would convey weakness and vulnerability. Consequently, knowing when a pet is hurting is not always easy.

Interestingly, there are different types of pain and different types of causes. Since pain is a sensory response to a painful stimulus, there are often situations where the source of a pet’s pain is not obvious, as it would be if the pet had a visible wound or injury.    Continue…

A Brave New (Pain Free) World: All About CBD Oil for Pets

CBD oil for petsIn 2000, Colorado became one of the first states to legalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Since then, many other states have followed suit (29 to be exact). Nine states (including Colorado) have legalized its recreational use, as well.

What does this have to do with pets? More than you may realize. Not only have cases of marijuana toxicity in pets increased since marijuana laws began passing, but pet owners have also been turning to marijuana to try and help their pets with a variety of medical issues. Specifically, they’re seeking the oil extracted from the hemp plant, called cannabidiol oil (CBD oil) to treat their pet’s pain and other ailments.

The use of CBD oil for pets is growing in popularity, but is it right for your pet?

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