Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Long-term pain in cats: how much do we know about this important welfare issue?
- Journal:
- Journal of feline medicine and surgery
- Year:
- 2010
- Authors:
- Robertson, Sheilah A & Lascelles, B Duncan X
- Affiliation:
- University of Florida · United States
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Long-term pain in cats is a serious issue that often gets ignored, even though it can greatly affect their well-being. Any cat can experience this kind of pain, but it's more common in middle-aged or older cats, especially those with joint problems or diabetes. Young cats can also suffer from ongoing pain after surgeries, like declawing. Unfortunately, there isn't enough solid information available in veterinary resources about how often this pain occurs, what causes it, and how to treat it effectively. The review aims to bring attention to these important topics and improve how we recognize and manage pain in our feline friends.
Abstract
PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: Long-term pain in cats is an important welfare issue but is often overlooked and undertreated. AUDIENCE: All practitioners are faced with cats that require analgesic intervention to improve their quality of life. PATIENT GROUP: Any cat may potentially experience long-term pain and discomfort. Degenerative joint disease and diabetic-related pain is more common in middle-aged or older individuals, whereas persistent postsurgical pain can occur at any age and is seen in young cats following onychectomy. EVIDENCE BASE: Robust evidence on long-term pain issues in cats - specifically, relating to prevalence, etiology, and treatment protocols and outcomes - is missing from the veterinary literature. The aim of this review is to summarise the current state of knowledge. In doing so, it takes a practical approach, highlighting the obvious, and some not so obvious, causes of long-term pain in cats; some aspects that warrant closer attention; our ability to recognize pain and monitor how this impacts on quality of life; and today's treatment options.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20193910/