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Understanding chronic pain
Eighty per cent of dogs over eight years of age are in pain with arthritis.
Treatment of chronic pain ‘is still an issue’

Chronic pain - what is it? This was the question asked by veterinary surgeon Louise Clark during her lecture at the London Vet Show today (16 November).

Although we are much better now at treating acute pain, which is the body's protective mechanism for staying alive, the treatment of chronic pain (pain that continues when it should not) is still an issue.

Chronic pain is all about how it makes you feel and the emotional response that is produced and the veterinary surgeon needs to look at the behavioural expression of pain in the animal. In people, chronic pain is associated with anxiety, depression and sleep disorders and it is now thought that dogs also express such pain in a similar way.

Chronic pain can be subdivided into three main categories:
  • Neuropathic such as amputations and nerve injuries
  • Nociceptive or inflammatory such as chronic inflammation and osteoarthritis
  • Generalised mixed pain

Louise pointed out that if we can understand where the pain is coming from and the physiology of the pain, then it will be easier to determine its treatment.

She explained that the most important organ involved in chronic pain is the brain. Pain changes the function and structure on the central nervous system (CNS), so pain is very much in the brain. It is amplified through the CNS and translated into an emotional output.

MRI has identified how physical pain can be highlighted in the brain in the limbic system - it is the limbic system that expresses lack of motivation due to pain.

So when treating chronic pain it is vital to recognise the way the brain is exhibiting the emotional effects of the pain it is detecting.

At the end of her lecture, Louise showed a short video which highlighted how our pets cannot show us or tell us about their pain. She then pointed out that 80 per cent of dogs over eight years of age are in pain with arthritis.

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Defra shares new Sanitary and Phytosanitary guidance

News Story 1
 Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.

The agreement, which will change the movement and trade of animals and related products, could see reductions in checks, paperwork and certification. As well as describing regulatory developments, the advice highlights the importance of animal ID, registration and traceability in disease control and other compliance arrangements.

The guidance can be found here. More detail is expected as negotiations progress. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA publishes fifth Manual of Canine and Feline Neurology

The BSAVA has published the fifth edition of its BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Neurology.

The new edition has been reviewed and updated, including new developments in diagnostics, therapeutic approaches and clinical decision-making. It is structured to support clinicians through diagnosis, treatment and long-term management.

The guide features five new chapters covering acute myelopathies, chronic myelopathies, emergency protocols, neurotoxicology and neuro-oncology.

It also includes over 100 videos, including demonstrations of neurological examinations, clinical presentations and diagnostic procedures.

Nicola Lloyd, publishing manager, said: "Whether you're a general practitioner seeking practical guidance, or a specialist aiming to refine your expertise, this edition remains an indispensable reference for anyone involved in the care of neurologically compromised dogs and cats."