References
Understanding the pharmaceutical approach to pain management in canine osteoarthritis
Abstract
Canine osteoarthritis was recently reclassified as a welfare concern by the Veterinary Companion Animal Surveillance System (VetCompass), an initiative run by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, focused on improving companion animal health. This condition is a common cause for consultation in first opinion practice, with an estimated 35% of the canine population being affected. Chronic pain is complex and a multimodal approach is best for management, which includes pharmaceuticals employed in a methodical manner. This article provides an overview of the types of pain associated with canine osteoarthritis, as well as how to recognise them. Making reference to hypothetical cases, the appropriate pharmaceutical management is described. Further management strategies, as part of a multimodal approach, are summarised to ensure best practice.
Canine osteoarthritis, estimated to affect 35% of the canine population (Muller et al, 2018), is a leading cause of chronic pain, which is often more appropriately termed maladaptive pain. While chronic pain is likely to be of long duration, that is not likely to be its sole feature. Chronic pain is a complex pathophysiological experience, differing from acute pain, that affects the whole body through inducing a sustained catabolic state, as well as having a negative impact on cognitive and emotional health long-term (Woolf, 2004; Self and Grubb, 2019).
Acute nociceptive pain has physiological benefit, as it signals potential or actual tissue damage caused by stimuli such as heat, cold, pressure or chemicals. It protects through causing appropriate action to be taken by the dog to avoid harm and encourages behaviours that support healing. Although this pain is adaptive, it still needs addressing with a comprehensive, prompt, targeted pain management approach.
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