Analgesia in Small Mammals

Key Points

  • The goal of analgesia is to minimize pain and distress.
  • Carefully consider the choice of analgesic drug and timing of administration.
  • Prevent “pain windup” by administering opioid analgesia before injury.
  • Combinations of analgesics from different classes are more likely to be effective than a single agent used alone.
  • Ranges of different analgesics are available, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and local anesthetics.
  • Gentle handling of tissues can reduce the degree of postoperative pain.
  • Pain assessment is more challenging in small mammals. Signs of pain may include immobility, reduced grooming, hunched posture, abdominal press, aggression, and reduced appetite.

As in other species, to manage pain successfully, one must know when pain might occur. Several common medical disorders can result in acute pain such as otitis, conjunctivitis, and acute gastrointestinal disease. Chronic pain can arise from conditions such as arthritis, which commonly develops in older . . .


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References

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Fairbanks CA. Spinal delivery of analgesics in experimental models of pain and analgesia. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 55(8):1007-1041, 2003.

Flecknell P. Analgesia and post-operative care. In: Flecknell P (ed). Laboratory Animal Anaesthesia, 3nd ed. London, Academic Press, 2009. Pp. 139-179.

Flecknell PA. Analgesia of small mammals. Vet Clin North Am: Ex Anim Pract 4(1):47-56, 2001.

Flecknell PA, Roughan JV. Assessing pain in animals—putting research into practice. Animal Welfare 13:571-575, 2004.

Hughes PJ, Doherty MM, Charman WN. A rabbit model for the evaluation of epidurally administered local anesthetic agents. Anaesth Intensive Care 21(3):298-303, 1993.

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Souza MJ, Greenacre CB, Cox SK. Pharmacokinetics of orally administered tramadol in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Am J Vet Res 69(8):979-982, 2008.

Stokes EL, Flecknell PA, Richardson CA. Reported analgesic and anaesthetic administration to rodents undergoing experimental surgical procedures. Lab An 43():149-154, 2009.

Thomasson B, Ruuskanen O, Merikanto J. Spinal anaesthesia in the guinea pig. Lab Anim 8(2):241-244, 1974.

Turner PV, Chen HC, Taylor WM. Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in rabbits after single and repeat oral dosing. Comp Med 56(1):63-67, 2006.

To cite this page:

Flecknell P. Analgesia in small mammals. April 28, 2010. LafeberVet Web site. Available at https://lafeber.com/vet/analgesia-in-small-mammals/