Chronic pain is unlike acute pain, it lasts beyond the time necessary for healing and resists normal treatment. No one patient feels pain in the same way and yet in veterinary medicine the patient's gain is generally assessed based on a single standard.
There is an increasing focus in veterinary medicine on measuring and resolving pain and suffering. This focus is being supported by an increased understanding of pain neurophysiology, a greater offering of innovative pharmacological treatments, and consumer demand.
This book is written for the veterinary health care professional seeking a greater depth of knowledge in the mechanisms of pain accompanying chronic disease states, and the potential targets for treatment. It goes beyond common protocols by focusing on the latest evidence and our understanding of 'why and how to treat'. It describes and evaluates current physiological and biochemical theories of pain transmission, without losing sight of the practical need for such information.
Chronic Pain in Small Animal Medicine provides a foundation for advances in animal care and welfare and is of value to veterinarians in practice and training.
Table of Contents
Section I
Physiology of Pain
Pathophysiology of Pain
Pathophysiology of Cancer Pain
Section II
Pharmacology
Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS)
Nutraceuticals
Section III
Multimodal Pain Management
Pain management for Canine Osteoarthritis
Chronic Eye, Ear and Dental Pain and its Therapy
Reviews
Physiological and biochemical theories are all explained eloquently and succinctly and are accompanied by ample, easily understood diagrams... the reader is provided with a sturdy evidence-based approach to treating chronic pain... This book is a rare thing; it is both a quick reference practical guide that will be regularly opened in the consulting room and it also constitutes a comprehensive guide to "why and how to treat chronic pain"... It's a landmark publication that has the potential to considerably progress the management of chronic pain in veterinary patients.
—Debbie Grant, Veterinary Practice, July 2010
...well illustrated chapters present the information in a highly readable and accessible format... the clarity and simplicity with which this book presents the complex subject of "the physiology of pain" is enough to recommend it to any veterinary surgeon with an interest in analgesia or who simply wishes to improve their understanding of pain in a clinical context. The pharmacological information is current and relevant and the clinical chapters should aid all clinicians in putting theory into effective practice.
—Louise Clark, Journal of Small Animal Practice, March 2011
...well-referenced chapters... Historical facts, demographic information and frequent reference to human medicine add interest for the reader... draw[s] together in one text useful information on a very diverse subject and as such merits a place in the university and practice library, especially as a reference text.
—Jackie Reid, Veterinary Record, July 2011
This is a very good guide to the understanding and management of pain, particularly as a result of a chronic condition. It is a very helpful reference that gives all the keys to practitioners looking for the most up-to-date information on pain in small animals. (4 stars)
—Guillaume Ragetly, DVM, PhD, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Doody's Review Service
