• threeriversah
• April 25, 2026

How We Manage Pain Before, During & After Procedures

Keeping Pets Comfortable at Three Rivers Animal Hospital

When a pet needs surgery, dental work, or another medical procedure, one of the most common concerns pet owners have is: “Will my pet be in pain?”

At Three Rivers Animal Hospital, managing pain is a top priority. Modern veterinary medicine recognizes that effective pain control is essential not only for comfort, but also for healing and recovery. Our team uses a multi-step pain management approach before, during, and after procedures to help ensure every patient experiences the least amount of discomfort possible.

Let’s walk through how we help keep pets safe and comfortable throughout their care.

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Why Pain Management Matters in Veterinary Medicine

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Before the Procedure: Pre-Medications for Comfort

Pain management actually begins before a procedure even starts.

At Three Rivers Animal Hospital, many patients receive pre-medications (pre-meds) before anesthesia. These medications help:

• Reduce anxiety and stress
• Provide early pain control
• Allow for smoother anesthesia induction

We also frequently administer anti-nausea medications prior to surgery. These medications help prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting, allowing pets to recover more comfortably once they wake up.

Starting pain control early is part of what veterinarians call preemptive analgesia, meaning we treat pain before it begins.

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During the Procedure: Targeted Pain Control

While a pet is under anesthesia, our veterinary team continues actively managing pain.

Depending on the procedure, we may use local anesthetic blocks, including:

• Local nerve blocks
• Dental nerve blocks for oral procedures

These techniques numb specific areas of the body, allowing us to target pain directly at the surgical site. Local blocks also reduce the amount of general anesthesia required and provide extended pain relief after the procedure is complete.

This layered approach to pain control is known as multimodal analgesia, meaning we use multiple medications and techniques together for the best results.

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After the Procedure: Continuing Pain Relief at Home

Pain management doesn’t stop when a pet goes home. Many patients are discharged with pain medications and anti-inflammatory medications to support recovery during the healing period.

Some of the medications we commonly prescribe include:

Vetprofen® (carprofen)
A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that helps reduce inflammation and postoperative pain.

Gabapentin
Often used to manage nerve-related pain and improve comfort after procedures.

Tramadol
A medication that helps control moderate pain in some patients.

Zorbium® (buprenorphine)
A long-acting pain medication commonly used in cats to provide sustained pain relief after procedures.

Each patient receives a pain management plan tailored to their specific procedure, species, and health status.

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Our Goal: Keeping Pets Comfortable

At Three Rivers Animal Hospital, our goal is simple: we want every patient to experience the least amount of pain possible.

Through careful planning, modern medications, and attentive monitoring, we strive to ensure pets recover safely and comfortably after medical procedures.

Your pet’s comfort is always at the center of the care we provide.

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When to Contact Your Veterinarian

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Compassionate Care Every Step of the Way

Procedures can feel stressful for both pets and their families, but modern veterinary pain management allows us to make the experience much safer and more comfortable than ever before.

By managing pain before, during, and after procedures, the team at Three Rivers Animal Hospital helps pets recover smoothly so they can get back to doing what they love most—being happy, healthy members of the family.