Attitude of Brazilian veterinarians in the recognition and treatment of pain in horses and cattle.
Abstract: The objective of this study was to assess the use of analgesics, describe the attitudes of Brazilian veterinarians towards pain relief in horses and cattle and evaluate the differences due to gender, year of graduation and type of practice. Methods: Prospective survey. Methods: Questionnaires were sent to 1000 large animal veterinarians by mail, internet and delivered in person during national meetings. The survey investigated the attitudes of Brazilian veterinarians to the recognition and treatment of pain in large animals and consisted of sections asking about demographic data, use of analgesic drugs, attitudes to pain relief and to the assessment of pain. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze frequencies. Simple post hoc comparisons were performed using the chi-square test. Results: Eight hundred questionnaires were collected, but 87 were discarded because they were incomplete or blank. The opioid of choice for use in large animals was butorphanol (43.4%) followed by tramadol (39%). Flunixin (83.2%) and ketoprofen (67.6%) were the most frequently used NSAIDs by Brazilian veterinarians. Respondents indicated that horses received preoperative analgesics for laparotomy more frequently (72.9%) than cattle (58.5%). The most frequently administered preoperative drugs for laparotomy in horses were flunixin (38.4%) and xylazine (23.6%), whereas the preoperative drugs for the same surgical procedure in cattle were xylazine (31.8%) and the local administration of lidocaine (48%). Fracture repair was considered the most painful surgical procedure for both species. Most veterinarians (84.1%) believed that their knowledge in this area was not adequate. Conclusions: Although these Brazilian veterinarians thought that their knowledge on recognition and treatment of pain was not adequate, the use of analgesic in large animals was similar in Brazil to that reported in other countries.
© 2013 The Authors. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia © 2013 Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia.
Publication Date: 2013-03-06 PubMed ID: 23461405DOI: 10.1111/vaa.12025Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study explores the attitudes and behaviors of Brazilian veterinarians in relation to pain recognition and treatment in horses and cattle. It identifies common analgesics used, reports on differences based on demographics, and discusses practitioners’ self-assessed knowledge deficiency in this area.
Research Methodology
The researchers conducted a survey among 1,000 large animal veterinarians in Brazil. The tools of dissemination were diverse and included direct mailing, internet, and face-to-face distribution during events. The survey explored participants’ attitudes towards pain recognition and treatment in large animals, demographic information, how often they used analgesic drugs, and their approach towards pain assessment and relief.
Data Analysis
The collected data was scrutinized using descriptive statistical tools to determine frequencies. Using the chi-square test, simple post hoc comparisons were made. Some data had to be discarded due to incompletions or blank responses.
Results
- The top choices for opioids in large animals were butorphanol and tramadol.
- The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) most commonly utilized were flunixin and ketoprofen.
- Preoperative analgesics delivery, particularly before laparotomy, was more prevalent for horses than for cattle. Flunixin and xylazine were the drugs most frequently administered to horses pre-laparotomy, while xylazine and lidocaine were the common choices for cattle.
- Fracture repair was perceived as the most painful surgical procedure for both horses and cattle.
- A significant majority of the practitioners (84.1%) expressed that they did not think their knowledge about pain recognition and treatment in large animals was adequate.
Conclusions
The research noted that despite practitioners’ perceived inadequacy in their understanding of pain assessment and treatment, the analgesic use in Brazil is closely aligned with international patterns. The report suggests a need for further education and resources to address the lack of confidence among veterinarians in their knowledge of large animal pain management.
Cite This Article
APA
Lorena SE, Luna SP, Lascelles BD, Corrente JE.
(2013).
Attitude of Brazilian veterinarians in the recognition and treatment of pain in horses and cattle.
Vet Anaesth Analg, 40(4), 410-418.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vaa.12025 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Anaesthesiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, Brazil.
MeSH Terms
- Adult
- Analgesics / therapeutic use
- Animal Welfare
- Animals
- Brazil
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases / drug therapy
- Data Collection
- Female
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horses
- Humans
- Knowledge
- Male
- Pain / drug therapy
- Pain / veterinary
- Surveys and Questionnaires
- Veterinarians / standards
Citations
This article has been cited 18 times.- Zein S, Jensen KC, Müller K. Survey of German veterinarians' approaches to pain assessment and management of perioperative pain in pet rabbits. Vet Rec 2026 Jan Jul 31;198(3):e92-e100.
- Maldonado Moreno N, Alves Moreira J, Araujo De Oliveira L, Sanches Gontijo A, Castilho Baldi ML, Rocha Wenceslau R, Beier SL. Analgesic and Gastrointestinal Effects of Methadone in Horses Undergoing Orchiectomy. Animals (Basel) 2025 Aug 11;15(16).
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- Spahija N, Lutvikadić I, Ćoso A, Maksimović A. Current attitudes and self-rated abilities of Bosnia and Herzegovina veterinarians toward pain recognition and quantification in domestic animals. Anim Welf 2023;32:e50.
- Tschoner T, Mueller KR, Zablotski Y, Feist M. Pain Assessment in Cattle by Use of Numerical Rating and Visual Analogue Scales-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jan 22;14(2).
- Fonseca MW, Trindade PHE, Pinho RH, Justo AA, Tomacheuski RM, Silva NEOFD, Gonçalves HC, Luna SPL. Development and Validation of the Unesp-Botucatu Goat Acute Pain Scale. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jun 28;13(13).
- Costa GL, Leonardi F, Interlandi C, Licata P, Lizarraga I, Macrì F, Macrì D, Ferrantelli V, Spadola F. Tramadol Administered Intravenously Either as a Bolus or a Slow Injection in Pain Management of Romifidine-Sedated Calves Undergoing Umbilical Hernia Repair. Animals (Basel) 2023 Mar 24;13(7).
- Tomacheuski RM, Oliveira AR, Trindade PHE, Oliveira FA, Candido CP, Teixeira Neto FJ, Steagall PV, Luna SPL. Reliability and Validity of UNESP-Botucatu Cattle Pain Scale and Cow Pain Scale in Bos taurus and Bos indicus Bulls to Assess Postoperative Pain of Surgical Orchiectomy. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jan 20;13(3).
- Tomacheuski RM, Monteiro BP, Evangelista MC, Luna SPL, Steagall PV. Measurement properties of pain scoring instruments in farm animals: A systematic review using the COSMIN checklist. PLoS One 2023;18(1):e0280830.
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- de Oliveira FA, Luna SP, do Amaral JB, Rodrigues KA, Sant'Anna AC, Daolio M, Brondani JT. Validation of the UNESP-Botucatu unidimensional composite pain scale for assessing postoperative pain in cattle. BMC Vet Res 2014 Sep 6;10:200.
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