A survey study on the recognition and treatment of pain in dogs and cats by Slovenian veterinarians

Tomsič, Katerina; Rakinić, Kristina; Sokolov, Cvetka; Seliškar, Alenka

doi:10.1016/j.vaa.2020.11.007

Cited by 8 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…90% of veterinarians and the public believe that larger breed dogs have less sensitivity to pain, despite there being no physiological basis for this ( 25 ). Moreover, female veterinarians are reported to give higher pain scores compared to males ( 26 ). Therefore, conducting assessments based on both owners and veterinary input, may provide the most accurate data using chronic pain assessment tools.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How does chronic pain impact the lives of dogs: an investigation of factors that are associated with pain using the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid

Malkani,

Paramasivam,

Wolfensohn

2024

Front. Vet. Sci.

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IntroductionChronic pain can profoundly affect the wellbeing of dogs and our understanding is limited regarding the multidimensional impact it has on dog quality of life. This study aimed to assess the factors that are significant and predictive of behavior problems in dogs using the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (AWAG) to further understand what factors influence their welfare.MethodsSeventy six AWAG assessments were undertaken across 46 dogs that clinicians diagnosed as having musculoskeletal conditions that caused chronic pain. Wilcoxon-rank sum tests were used to assess the difference in scores between dogs with behavior disorders and a cohort of healthy dogs (n = 143).ResultsAll physical factors besides body condition, and all psychological, environmental, and procedural factors were significantly different between healthy dogs and dogs with chronic pain, evidencing how chronic pain impacts all domains of a dog’s life. Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient (RS) revealed several significant strong positive correlations such as the association between the severity of clinical symptoms with poorer mobility and the frequency at which the dog experienced fearful stimuli. Logistic regression showed that fears and anxieties frequency, the dog’s reaction to stressors, engagement with enrichment, and social interactions were significant predictors of chronic pain in dogs.DiscussionThis highlights that typical signs of musculoskeletal disorders such as gait changes, stiffness, lameness might manifest after behavioral changes such as increased fearfulness, prolonged recovery from a stressful event, a reduced interested in social interactions, toys or play. Owners only seeking veterinary attention when the presence of physical signs of disease are evident may result in a delayed veterinary attention resulting in reduced welfare. Regular veterinary assessments combined with use of the AWAG can proactively identify these behavioral indicators and result in prompt treatment and improved quality of life.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How does chronic pain impact the lives of dogs: an investigation of factors that are associated with pain using the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid

Malkani,

Paramasivam,

Wolfensohn

2024

Front. Vet. Sci.

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“…Veterinarians are increasingly concerned about pain ( 7 , 8 , 14–16 ) moving away from the belief that pain could be useful in post-surgical patients, which was held by veterinarians some 20 years earlier in countries such as the UK ( 17 ) or Finland ( 18 ). Most respondents considered that dogs and cats experience pain to a similar extend (71%) although the administration of analgesics to cats might be lower than to dogs, likely because of the relative difficulty veterinarians might have in recognizing and evaluating pain in cats ( 8 , 16 ). Indeed, this does not mean that cats perceive less pain than dogs simply because humans may not be able to recognize or assess their pain in the same way.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Among the limitations reported for using pain assessment tools are lack of routine, time, and personnel, the two latter reported previously ( 5 ). Although improving, training to assess pain is not yet sufficient for pre-graduate veterinary education ( 8 ) and thus is perceived as one of the most limiting factors, likely higher among older veterinarians. Reliability was not a concern from respondents to the survey although this factor has been considered by US veterinarians ( 5 ) and may reflect the higher use of unidimensional pain scales, such as the numerical rating scale, associated with higher inter-observer variability ( 29 , 30 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attitudes to acute pain and the use of pain assessment scales among Spanish small animal veterinarians

Menéndez,

Cabezas,

Gomez de Segura

2023

Front. Vet. Sci.

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Evaluation of acute pain in dogs and cats is the basis for an appropriate treatment and improved well-being. The difficulties involved in pain assessment pose a challenge for veterinarians, and recent findings indicate that the most effective tools available—validated pain assessment scales—may not be widely utilized.ObjectivesThis study aimed to characterize the level of concern among Spanish veterinarians regarding acute pain in companion animals. Additionally, it sought to determine whether this concern correlates with the utilization of optimal assessment tools.MethodsA survey was conducted to explore Spanish veterinarians’ attitudes toward pain and its assessment. The survey was distributed through two most prominent small animal veterinary associations, the Spanish association for veterinary anesthesia and analgesia, as well as key industry players committed to proactive pain management. Descriptive analysis of the collected data was performed using Excel and SPSS.ResultsA total of 292 veterinarians participated in the study. A high level of concern regarding pain in dogs and cats was determined where 44% of surveyed veterinarians assessed pain in all patients. Despite an awareness of validated pain scales, only 28% used them. The preferred scales were the Glasgow CMPS for dogs (94%) and the Feline Grimace Scale for cats (93%). Among respondents who do not use these validated tools, there was a considerable interest in incorporating these scales into practice (85%) and considered lack of training was the most relevant issue (32%). Other challenges to scale utilization were identified, including constraints related to time, staffing, and the need to establish a habit.Conclusions and relevanceSpanish small animal veterinarians demonstrated a strong awareness to pain in their patients and employed various methods for pain assessment. However, a limited use of validated tools was identified and likely attributed to challenges such as a lack of established routine, time constraints, insufficient personnel, and, notably, a knowledge gap among veterinarians who do not employ pain assessment scales. The most commonly used scales were the Glasgow CMPS for dogs and the FGS for cats. Overall, these results suggest a window of opportunity for the implementation of training programs in small animal pain assessment at a national level.

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“…E-mail: A.Yaremchuk@ukr.net Постановка проблеми та аналіз останніх досліджень. Високоорганізовані біологічні організми, до яких належать сільськогосподарські та дрібні домашні тварини, здатні зазнавати страждань від болю [1][2][3], а тому його прояв за хірургічних втручань недопустимий. Ступінь больової реакції у тварин складно виміряти кількісно, а тому його інтенсивність визначають місцем та особливостями пошкодження, природою травмуючого чинника, психоемо-ційною реакцією тварини та досвідом лікаря.…”

Section: білоцерківський національний аграрний університетunclassified

Dynamics of heart rate variability and the state of endogenous in toxication under different anesthesia regimens in dogs with visceral and somatic types of pain reaction

Rublenko

Yaremchuk

2021

Nauk. vìsn. vet. med.

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Dogs are naturally characterized by a high level ofinjuries, which can reach up to 50 % of the total surgicalpathology. At the same time, abdominal pathology issignificantly common in this species of animals andsurgical treatment of the sepathologies is accompanied bya significant somatic and visceral pain response. The workwas performed at the Department of Surgery and Diseasesof Small Pets of Bila Tserkva National Agrarian Universityin the period 2015-2020. The material for the study wereclinically healthy and sick dogs admitted to the clinic ofdiseases of small animals of the university. Forming theclinical-experimental base for research, nosological formsof pathology and frequency of its occurrence were taken into account, attention was paid to the peculiarities of surgicalintervention depending on the species of animals, type andintensity of pain response and correctness of anesthesia.Visceral type of pain reaction was studied in dogs aged2 to 10 years, who underwent abdominal surgery. Somaticpain reaction accompanies bone fractures and their surgicaltreatment. Included in the study of dogs with fractures of thefemur or humerus aged from 1 to 10 years.High levels of endotoxicosis are characteristic of thepathochemical phase of abdominal surgical pathology in dogs,with the concentration in the blood of malonic dialdehyde(14.8 ± 0.55 μmol / l) and molecules of average weight isrespectively 1.6 and twice higher than normal. However,the lowest level was found under balanced acepromazineketamine-propofol anesthesia, with no probable changes inmolecular weight peptides and a slight increase in the level ofmalonic dialdehyde only 1.1 times (p <0,01).Acepromazine-butorphanol-propofol-ketamineanesthesia for somatic pain in dogs provides completeanalgesia with controlled and rapid recovery fromanesthesia without established probable changes during theoperation of spectral indicators of heart rate variability. Insomatic pain in dogs, regardless of the anesthesia regimen,the preoperative level of endotoxemia is preserved, andaccording to the spectral analysis of HRV and its sympathoparasympathetic balance index, 30 % of surgically ill dogsshow normotonia – 0.85–1.15, 27 – sympathicotonia (LF/HF>1.15), in 43 % – parasimaticotonia (LF/HF<0.85),which is the key criterion for selecting the appropriatescheme of anesthesia. Key words: heart rate variability, endogenousintoxication, anesthesia, dogs, types of pain reaction, visceralinnervation, somatic innervation.

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A survey study on the recognition and treatment of pain in dogs and cats by Slovenian veterinarians

Cited by 8 publications

References 26 publications

How does chronic pain impact the lives of dogs: an investigation of factors that are associated with pain using the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid

How does chronic pain impact the lives of dogs: an investigation of factors that are associated with pain using the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid

Attitudes to acute pain and the use of pain assessment scales among Spanish small animal veterinarians

Dynamics of heart rate variability and the state of endogenous in toxication under different anesthesia regimens in dogs with visceral and somatic types of pain reaction

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