Owner survey suggests cats may be undertreated for pain compared to dogs after an elective ovariohysterectomy or orchiectomy.

Am J Vet Res. July 2024;85(7):.

Laura R Adams, Kirk A Muñoz

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To investigate differences in pain management between dogs and cats after surgical sterilization. We hypothesized that dogs would be more likely to be discharged with analgesics after sterilization compared to cats and that owner compliance would be better in dogs.

ANIMALS:175 respondents owning 92 dogs and 83 cats from a high-volume, low-cost veterinary clinic in Michigan during August 2022.

METHODS:Owners received an online survey designed to assess their pet's postoperative analgesic care. They were asked demographic information about themselves and their pets. Additionally, they were asked if their pet was discharged with analgesics, if they were administered as prescribed, and if their pet was painful at home. Dogs and cats were included if they were sterilized within 6 months of survey completion and in the owner's care at the time of the procedure.

RESULTS:The survey was distributed to 5,241 owners and received 227 responses, a response rate of 4.4%. Analgesics were prescribed for 19 of 162 (12%) pets: 14 of 88 (16%) dogs and 5 of 74 (6.7%) cats. There was no difference in the prescription of analgesics between dogs and cats after ovariohysterectomy (P = .09) or orchiectomy (P = .73). 15 of 19 owners reported their compliance in administering analgesics at 78.9%. Owners' subjective assessments showed that 24 of 86 (28%) dogs and 12 of 68 (17%) cats appeared painful at home.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE:Postoperative pain in cats may not be appropriately managed.

Keywords

cats; dogs; orchiectomy; ovariohysterectomy; sterilization;

Article Tools:

Medline

Email to me

Archives Highlights:

Comparison of three anesthetic protocols in 146 olive baboons (Papio anubis) in a mass capture event for physical examination and surgical sterilization.
All animals were successfully immobilized and recovered from immobilization with no adverse events observed. DTZ produced the shortest induction times (297 ± 108 seconds), compared with XTZ (356 ± 123 seconds) and XMK (449 ± 83 seconds). Supplemental anesthetics were administered during induction in 9.4% (6/64, DTZ), 11.0% (8/73, XTZ), and 22.2% (2/9, XMK) of cases.

Traumatic Marjolin's ulcer in sheep: Squamous cell carcinoma arising from chronic dorsal fence-wire injuries.
Marjolin’s ulcer (MU) is a rare but aggressive squamous cell carcinoma arising from chronic cutaneous injury. The affected ewes developed chronic dorsal wounds after repeatedly crawling under galvanised wire fencing, resulting in persistent mechanical lacerations over a two-year period. Early recognition and prompt management of chronic wounds are essential to prevent malignant transformation and improve outcomes in small ruminants.

Virtual Reality: Applications in Veterinary Science.
The goal of this article is to examine the use of virtual reality in veterinary care, as well as the benefits, limitations, and potential long-term applications of this technology in the veterinary profession.

Limb amputation for feline appendicular bone tumors results in excellent recovery outcomes and high owner satisfaction with a low incidence of complications.
Time to return to walking without support was < 3 days in 69.7% of cats and 3 to 7 days in 16.7%. Activity level changes were reported as no change in 75.8% of cats. There were no behavioral changes in 92.3% of cats. Quality of life following amputation was recorded as excellent in 82.4% of cats. Owner satisfaction was reported as very satisfied, moderately satisfied, or satisfied in 98.5% of cats.

Hidden harm: Quantifying occupational injury under-reporting in veterinary workplaces through modified capture-recapture analysis.
For every 100 workplaces injuries, 69 went un-reported. Levels of under-reporting were higher in companion animal practices (70.0%) than large animal practices (56.4%). Common causes of injury of companion animal staff included; clinical examination (28.2%); falls, slips, and trips (11.2%); drug administration (10.4%); and needlesticks and surgical sharps injuries (6.1%).