Often, pets are a very important part of their owners' lives, even sometimes becoming like family members. Money spent on pet essentials, accessories and grooming services is increasing, and pet-related businesses are booming. Maintaining an animal's quality of life is vital for many owners, and that includes ensuring their pet is pain free.

As animals age, common yet painful diseases include hip dyslexia, arthritis and joint pains, similar to humans. Possibilities of injuries exist every day from a dog or cat's active lifestyle, such as falls, bites from other animals, abrasions, eye trauma and more. Pet owners must take care to select the safest treatment method possible to relieve an animal's pain. For many, the analgesic chosen is Tramadol, a drug used to treat moderate to severe pain.

Other effective options for treating some of these ailments include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Some pet owners are wary of using these drugs because despite their effectiveness, they also can have side effects for dogs and cats, such as nausea, weight loss, vomiting, anorexia, ulcers, liver and kidney damage and gastrointestinal bleeding. Some of these side effects can be fatal.

Tramadol features several qualities that make it a safe option for pets. Because it has a low opioid content compared to other drugs and inhibits the reuptake activity of serotonin and norepinephrine, which control depression, the possibility of drug addiction is reduced. In addition, Tramadol is effective in treating an animal's pain by inhibiting the activity of the brain’s pain signal sensors rather than by treating the exact pain area of the body. Due to this, Tramadol has the ability to relieve pain in different areas of the animal's body at once.

Like the majority of all drugs, Tramadol does come with side effects when treating pain in dogs and cats. Some of these side effects include decreased heart rate, upset stomach, panting, constipation, pupil constriction and restrained coughing. Signs of drug addiction include seizures, mental altercations and pinpoint pupils. If these symptoms are noticed, veterinarians recommend first reducing the amount of Tramadol dosages and watch closely for a few days. If side effects continue, pet owners should visit the veterinarian.

Tramadol is not compatible with SAMe and Deprenyl.