Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How vets manage nerve pain in dogs
By Moore, Sarah A·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2016·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Managing Neuropathic Pain in Dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog with chronic pain may be suffering from neuropathic pain, which is often overlooked by veterinarians. This type of pain can be tricky to diagnose since dogs can't tell us how they feel. Common treatments for neuropathic pain in dogs include medications like gabapentin, pregabalin, amantadine, and amitriptyline, which target different mechanisms of pain. While there is strong evidence for these treatments in humans, more research is needed to fully understand their effectiveness in dogs. If you suspect your dog is in pain, discussing these options with your veterinarian could help improve their comfort.
People also search for: dog chronic pain treatment · neuropathic pain in dogs · gabapentin for dogs · how to help dog with nerve pain
Abstract
Disorders of the somatosensory system such as neuropathic pain are common in people with chronic neurologic and musculoskeletal diseases, yet these conditions remain an underappreciated morbidity in veterinary patients. This is likely because assessment of neuropathic pain in people relies heavily on self-reporting, something our veterinary patients are not able to do. The development of neuropathic pain is a complex phenomenon, and concepts related to it are frequently not addressed in the standard veterinary medical curriculum such that veterinarians may not recognize this as a potential problem in patients. The goals of this review are to discuss basic concepts in the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain, provide definitions for common clinical terms used in association with the condition, and discuss pharmacological treatment options for dogs with neuropathic pain. The development of neuropathic pain involves key mechanisms such as ectopic afferent nerve activity, peripheral sensitization, central sensitization, impaired inhibitory modulation, and pathologic activation of microglia. Treatments aimed at reducing neuropathic pain are targeted at one or more of these mechanisms. Several drugs are commonly used in the veterinary clinical setting to treat neuropathic pain. These include gabapentin, pregabalin, amantadine, and amitriptyline. Proposed mechanisms of action for each drug, and known pharmacokinetic profiles in dogs are discussed. Strong evidence exists in the human literature for the utility of most of these treatments, but clinical veterinary-specific literature is currently limited. Future studies should focus on objective methods to document neuropathic pain and monitor response to therapy in veterinary patients.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26942185/