Pain Management

Most surveyed veterinarians think medical marijuana can help dogs, despite not being able to prescribe it. And a majority are not even willing to discuss it with clients.

The scientific mechanisms of gabapentin and amantadine support their use as part of analgesic protocols for chronic pain relief in dogs and cats. Each can effectively treat chronic pain, but how do you know when to choose one drug over the other?

Pain management in dogs and cats can be challenging because clinicians often have to rely on the observations of owners…

There are approximately 74.1 million pet cats in the United States1 but, despite this popularity, anesthesia and analgesia remain challenging in cats. Surprisingly few anesthetic and analgesic products are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in cats, but several new products have become recently available. The v-gel provides a protected and secured airway, allowing use of positive pressure ventilation and administration of inhalant anesthetics without exposure to staff or the environment. It can also be used for emergency resuscitation if an endotracheal tube is not available.

Nicholas Rancilio, DVM, Diplomate ACVR (Radiation Oncology); Jeff Ko, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVAA; and Christopher M. Fulkerson, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVIM (Oncology) Purdue University Welcome to Elements of Oncology—a column that addresses the many components of diagnosing, managing, treating, and monitoring veterinary cancer patients. This new column begins with a series of two articles that …

Stephanie Apple, DVM Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine Sandra Diaz, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVD Ohio State University A 15-year-old castrated male domestic shorthair cat presented with a 2-month history of progressive lameness, swelling, and pain in its right front paw. HISTORY The patient was an indoor only cat. No other animals in the household were …

The American Animal Hospital Association and American Association of Feline Practitioners recently released the 2015 AAHA/AAFP Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, updating the original guidelines presented in 2007. In the following interview, Mark E. Epstein, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Canine/Feline), AAPM, CVPP, who cochaired the task force that authored the updated guidelines, shares insights …

Nicholas Rancilio, DVM, Diplomate ACVR (Radiation Oncology); Jean Poulson, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVR (Radiation Oncology); and Jeff Ko, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVAA Purdue University Welcome to Elements of Oncology—a column that will address the many components of diagnosing, managing, treating, and monitoring veterinary cancer patients. This column begins with a series of two articles that …

Part 3 of a comprehensive look at managing chronic pain in dogs and cats. Here, an overview of nonosteoarthritic pain conditions.