Pain prevention: The next step

No pet owner wants to see their dog or cat in pain, but sometimes discomfort in pets is hard to identify. That’s why it’s up to you and your team to educate clients about the signs and symptoms to watch for and offer the support they need to effectively manage their pet’s pain.

1. Evaluate your team’s understanding of pain. Is everyone on your staff on the same page when it comes to identifying signs of pain in pets? If not, download the team handout on assessing the signs and severity of pain and discomfort in pets.

2. Discuss medical options for pain management. Gather your doctors and figure out what your pain prevention protocol should be. Are there certain drugs you’re not using that could be of benefit to patients? This article provides an overview of opioids as an option.

3. Role-play client conversations. It can be difficult to talk to clients about the discomfort their pets are in, so your team needs to practice broaching the subject gently. Call a team meeting and role-play conversations with clients. This sample script will get you started.

4. Raise client awareness of pain. Pets are notorious for masking signs of pain, so make sure your clients know what to look for. And what better channel than social media to spread the word? Use these pre-written tweets and Facebook posts that are ready to send.