Anesthesiology & Pain Management

The patient is young and healthywhat could possibly go wrong? Plenty, say Drs. Jennifer Wardlaw and Andrew Claude. Heed their tips

Panelists B. Duncan X. Lascelles, BVSc, PhD, DACVS; Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP, CVPP; Bryan T. Torres, DVM, PhD, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR; Margaret Gruen, DVM, MVPH, PhD, DACVB; and Sheilah Robertson, BVMS, PhD, DACVAA, DACAW, discuss different approaches to treating dogs and cats with osteoarthritis in early versus advanced disease.

Panelists B. Duncan X. Lascelles, BVSc, PhD, DACVS; Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP, CVPP; Sheilah Robertson, BVMS, PhD, DACVAA, DACAW; Margaret Gruen, DVM, MVPH, PhD, DACVB; and Bryan T. Torres, DVM, PhD, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR, survey the difference in osteoarthritis prevalence data between veterinary literature and clinical practice.

Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), CVPP, medical director of TotalBond Veterinary Hospitals and Carolinas Animal Pain Management in Gastonia, North Carolina, explains that changing the culture and awareness of local anesthetics in veterinary medicine will come through several different avenues.

Panelists B. Duncan X. Lascelles, BVSc, PhD, DACVS; Bryan T. Torres, DVM, PhD, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR; Margaret Gruen, DVM, MVPH, PhD, DACVB; Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP, CVPP; and Sheilah Robertson, BVMS, PhD, DACVAA, DACAW, review different questionnaires available to assess pain in companion animals and the importance of validation of these questionnaires.

Panelists B. Duncan X. Lascelles, BVSc, PhD, DACVS; Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP, CVPP; Margaret Gruen, DVM, MVPH, PhD, DACVB; Sheilah Robertson, BVMS, PhD, DACVAA, DACAW; and Bryan T. Torres, DVM, PhD, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR, share their views of practical assessment tools to determine pain level in companion animals, including the use of diary, video, and photo documentation to assess quality of life.

At the 2017 Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas, Lori Bidwell, DVM, DACVA, CVA, CVTP, presented an update on analgesia in geriatric horses.

Panelists B. Duncan X. Lascelles, BVSc, PhD, DACVS; Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP, CVPP; Bryan T. Torres, DVM, PhD, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR; Sheilah Robertson, BVMS, PhD, DACVAA, DACAW; and Margaret Gruen, DVM, MVPH, PhD, DACVB, outline the importance of early diagnosis of osteoarthritis in companion animals, as well as pet owner education about lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, to help with pain management.

Panelists B. Duncan X. Lascelles, BVSc, PhD, DACVS; Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP, CVPP; and Bryan T. Torres, DVM, PhD, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR, discuss strategies that veterinary staff can use to educate clients about identifying pain in their pets.

Following recommended pain management guidelines is vital to reducing the risk for adverse events when administering NSAIDs for chronic or surgical pain.

Bryan Torres, DVM, assistant professor of small animal orthopedic surgery and director of the Motion Analysis Laboratory at the University of Missouri, explains what breeds of dogs and cats are more likely to develop osteoarthritis.

Panelists B. Duncan X. Lascelles, BVSc, PhD, DACVS, and Margaret Gruen, DVM, MVPH, PhD, DACVB, provide insight on areas of veterinary pain management research that translate well to human research, and suggest future directions in this area of study.

Whose job is preventive health? How often do young pet owners turn to nutrition to solve their pet's pain problems? Dive into the new data from The Pet Owner Paths research.

Panelists B. Duncan X. Lascelles, BVSc, PhD, DACVS; Sheilah Robertson, BVMS, PhD, DACVAA, DACAW; Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP, CVPP; and Margaret Gruen, DVM, MVPH, PhD, DACVB, share their views on other areas of research in pain management in small animals, including cannabis and nutraceuticals.

Traditional Chinese medicine provides Dr. Sally Barchman, CVA, an opportunity to create a unique pain management treatment plan for each veterinary patient.

Panelists B. Duncan X. Lascelles, BVSc, PhD, DACVS; Margaret Gruen, DVM, MVPH, PhD, DACVB; Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP, CVPP; and Sheilah Robertson, BVMS, PhD, DACVAA, DACAW, review the most promising new therapies for treating pain in companion animals, including monoclonal antibodies.

Bryan Torres, DVM, assistant professor of small animal orthopedic surgery and director of the Motion Analysis Laboratory at the University of Missouri, describes the differences in treating household dogs with osteoarthritis versus working dogs with osteoarthritis.

Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), CVPP, medical director of TotalBond Veterinary Hospitals and Carolinas Animal Pain Management in Gastonia, North Carolina, says the most important tool in the non-pharmacological toolbox is weight optimization.

Panelists B. Duncan X. Lascelles, BVSc, PhD, DACVS; Margaret Gruen, DVM, MVPH, PhD, DACVB; Bryan T. Torres, DVM, PhD, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR; and Sheilah Robertson, BVMS, PhD, DACVAA, DACAW, discuss the challenges in assessing pain in companion animals as well as highlight available assessment tools.

More research on effectiveness is needed, but unless adverse events are reported, its a treatment worth keeping in mind for your veterinary patients.

This Leadership Challenge highlights the poignant end of a pets life.

Veterinary researchers are examining whether a decrease in eye temperature may give visual clues that point to stress to a cow's nervous system.

Vet Online Supply, Inc. recently launched the first round of pet products containing cannabidiol to help treat pain associated with arthritis, digestive issues, and more.

Bryan Torres, DVM, assistant professor of small animal orthopedic surgery and director of the Motion Analysis Laboratory at the University of Missouri, talks about how the veterinary profession is getting better at recognizing and treating patients with canine osteoarthritis.

To treat your painful patients effectively, you must know how to assess their pain level—a determination that can be particularly difficult in cats.