Veterinary provision of analgesia for domestic cats (Felis catus) undergoing gonadectomy: a comparison of samples from New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom

Abstract

Contemporary use of analgesics for cats appears focused on provision at clinic and may not address the effects of surgery beyond the first 24 hours. The UK, Australia and New Zealand clearly differ in the types of analgesia administered, possibly reflecting differing professional considerations of the risks associated with the use of NSAID. In the interests of animal welfare, pain relief should perhaps be provided or offered more frequently for owner administration.

Prescription of perioperative analgesics by UK small animal veterinary surgeons in 2013

“…The present survey requested data relating to total perioperative use of analgesics, rather than an assessment of preincisional versus postincisional data, but our results were very similar to the findings of Farnworth and others (2014).…”

“…This figure was lower in cats, with only a quarter of respondents prescribing NSAIDs for longer than 24 hours after castration. The recent survey by Farnworth and others (2014) indicated a much lower prevalence of prescription of postdischarge analgesics for feline neutering than was indicated by the responses to the present survey. However, a number of respondents to the current survey indicated that they considered a single subcutaneous dose of carprofen to provide up to 72 hours analgesia in cats, and these respondents may have also indicated that they provided NSAID analgesia for greater than 24 hours postoperatively, potentially artificially increasing the number of prescribers of postoperative NSAIDs in cats.…”

“…In the case of prescription of NSAIDs to dogs, or NSAIDs and opioids to cats, undergoing neutering, female and more recently graduated veterinary surgeons remained the groups most likely to prescribe, however, these differences were not consistently identified in other surgeries or medical conditions. Farnworth and others (2014) determined a non-significant effect of the interval since graduation and respondents’ gender on the provision of analgesia for feline neutering. Our results indicate that some differences remain in analgesic prescribing practice between male and female veterinary surgeons, and between more recently graduated and more experienced veterinary surgeons, but that these differences appear lessened compared with previous reports, and overall prescription rates are high irrespective of gender and interval since graduation.…”

“…Studies in South Africa and Canada have demonstrated increases in the prescription of perioperative analgesics for cats and dogs during the periods 2000–2005 (Joubert 2001, 2006) and 1996–2001 (Dohoo and Dohoo 1996a, Hewson and others 2006a), respectively. More recently, a high level of analgesic prescription was reported in a survey of practice during feline neutering surgery in Australia, New Zealand and the UK (Farnworth and others 2014). Increased availability of licensed analgesics, greater awareness of animal pain, greater knowledge of how to treat pain and increasing availability of continuing professional development (CPD) in pain management were identified as factors in these countries that may have increased the proportion of analgesic prescribers.…”

Pain assessment in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy by midline or lateral celiotomy through use of a previously validated multidimensional composite pain scale

“…Due to the difficulty of identifying pain in animals, the postoperative treatment can often be inappropriate [10][11] . Thus, the development of more accurate methods of evaluation is crucial for optimal management of pain.…”