What is the difference between a veterinary neurologist and a veterinary neurosurgeon? Can someone be both? Just like in human medicine, veterinary medicine has specialists who focus on specific fields of treatment. There are veterinarians who primarily perform surgery and some who only see cancer patients.
I’m frequently asked this question from the owners of orthopedic patients. Generally, these pets don’t vocalize (i.e. whine, whimper, groan, cry out). Pain is shown in more subtle ways: panting, hiding, increased heart rate, dilated pupils, decreased appetite, difficulty sleeping, a lack of grooming, and purring or hissing for cats. I try to help clients empathize with their pet’s lameness. Limping on a limb is sign of pain. If the limb was normal and nonpainful, there would be no lameness or discomfort.
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