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Why Veterinary Surgery Costs More Here – Adequate Pain Control

By • October 31, 2011 • Learn More • 2 Comments

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Some things in life, you just assume. For instance, one would assume that cutting an incision into your pet’s abdomen or next to his scrotum might be painful for at least a few days after surgery, yes? If a woman were to have a hysterectomy, one would assume some time in the hospital to recover, along with a certain degree of home aftercare, rest, and pain medication right?

Can you even IMAGINE what a hysterectomy would feel like without ANY sort of pain medicine the next day?

Are you aware that some clinics do surgery without requiring pain control afterwards?? Some of them might offer to sell you anti-inflammatories, for an extra fee of course, but it’s not required.

Prior to surgery at Leo’s Pet Care, a patient receives not one, but THREE different kinds of pain-reducing medicines, and that’s before we make the first cut. After surgery we give another one, then send the owner with one to two different medications to give at home to ensure their pet is comfortable after surgery.

THESE THINGS SHOULD’T BE OPTIONAL.

OBVIOUSLY, it costs money to give your pet pain medication before, during and after surgery. Adequate perioperative pain control involves NSAID’s, opioids, dissociatives, NMDA receptor antagonists, sedatives and muscle relaxants, and ALL of these drugs cost money.

But to perform surgery WITHOUT insisting on proper post-op pain control is, in my opinion (and the opinion of most veterinarians), unthinkable.

That’s all I have to say about that.

Your furry family members count on you to make smart choices – choose a local veterinarian who insists on EXCELLENT PERIOPERATIVE PAIN CONTROL!

At Leo’s Pet Care veterinary clinic in Indianapolis, we insist on effective pain control for our surgical patients, NOT OPTIONAL. We believe that every pet deserves as close to pain-free surgery as we can provide, even if it means a higher cost.

It is our duty to control your pet’s pain before, during and after surgery

Don’t let those other guys cut your beloved pet without adequate perioperative pain control. If your pet needs surgery, call Leo’s Pet Care veterinary clinic at 317-721-7387.

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About Greg Magnusson

Greg Magnusson DVM is Leo's daddy, and chief veterinarian at Leo's Pet Care. Please call 317-721-7387 to schedule a one-on-one consult for your furry family member!
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  • http://twitter.com/IndyMobileVet Dr. Erin Zaring

    Again, well said, Dr. Magnusson! 

    It still amazes me that the biggest low cost spay/neuter clinic in Marion County refuses to use any pain medications on dogs and only uses one small dose of pain medication on cats.  It is wonderful that they are helping to put a small dent in the pet overpopulation problem.  However, when it is at the expense of an animal’s well-being, I just have a hard time supporting it.

    Possibly even more disgraceful is that some full cost veterinary clinics still do not use adequate pain medications.  (Some don’t use any!)  With the knowledge of animal pain that today’s vets have, this is not acceptable.

    It is truly a “buyer-beware” environment when a pet owner is “shopping around” for a vet.  Go to Leo’s or Curbside Care, and know that your pet will be well taken care of!

  • Emily S.

    This makes total sense. I think it goes back to some of your other posts about people trusting their vets. My vet told me I needed presurgical bloodwork for my cat as well as NSAIDs and pain meds, and I know he wouldn’t tell me that unless he thought it was necessary. I don’t think I’ve ever met a vet that’s suggested a form of treatment just to make another buck (though I’m sure they exist…somewhere). When I had my cat declawed (I know, that’s a whole other argument), they shaved a square on the side of him to put a patch that would release medication over a few days. Poor guy was bald for a while–which makes me glad that some of these meds are becoming more effective, and maybe someday have some more options at a cheaper price so that people won’t have such a hard decision.