CONTROL OF PAIN IN SMALL ANIMALS PHARMACOLOGY - CENTRALLY-ACTING ANALGESICS

摘要

Animals perceive pain at the same level as humans; however, teleologically, pack animals have developed methods to mask pain to avoid pack rejection. Practitioners should anticipate the need for analgesics in both medical (e.g., ehrlichia, parvovirus,dentistry, trauma) and surgical pain. The most effective means of controlling pain is pre-emptive. Failure to effectively control pain can lead to life threatening responses in the cardiovascular system (arrhythmias, hypertension), marked immunosuppression, increased hospital costs, increased mortality, and morphologic changes in nociceptors and the spinal cord that can lead to increased sensitivity and persistence of pain (hypersensitization and centralization).