Understanding the mechanisms behind acute pain in dogs and cats

A basic understanding of the processes involved in nociception is a pre-requisite for successful management of acute pain. Peripheral and central sensitisation are key components contributing to pain in most cases, and a number of important concepts are now widely recognised as being crucial with regard to minimising their occurrence, and thereby improving the effectiveness of analgesia therapy. Although somewhat controversial in human medicine, pre-emptive analgesia - whereby analgesic agents are administered in advance of noxious stimulation - appears to be of importance in animals. Optimal pain relief is only likely to be achieved if a multimodal approach to analgesia is undertaken, utilising pharmaceutical agents acting at different points within the 'pain pathway'. In addition, preventive analgesia - wherein adequate pain relief is provided throughout the peri-operative period and well into recovery - is now considered one of the most significant areas in which acute pain management can be advanced