New vapocoolant spray reduces needle pain in dogs

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Effective pain management is essential in veterinary needle-related procedures. Traditional methods, including infiltrative, cream, and spray formulations, have limitations such as delayed onset, inconsistent temperature control, and skin damage. This study evaluated the efficacy of a novel vapocoolant spray (VetEase, Recensemedical, Hwaseong-si, Republic of Korea) for enhanced pain relief. METHODS: Ninety cases of dogs received cryoanesthesia immediately before undergoing three types of needle-related procedures: centesis (including cystocentesis, thoracentesis, and abdominocentesis), fine-needle aspiration (FNA), and jugular venipuncture. Each procedure was divided into three groups based on cryoanesthesia spray conditions: control (no spray), group A (2 s at 2°C), and group B (5 s at 2°C). Modified pain scores and visual analog scale evaluations were recorded immediately after needle insertion to assess the reduction in pain. Pain evaluation criteria included vocalization, general movements, and other observable responses. RESULTS: Significant pain reduction was observed in the centesis procedure for the group treated with cryoanesthesia at 2°C for 5 s (Group B), with a mean modified pain score of 0.8 compared to 3.7 in the control group (= 0.001). The visual analog scale also showed a significant reduction in Group B (= 0.001). Although both cryoanesthesia groups showed reduced pain levels during FNA and jugular venipuncture procedures, the differences did not reach statistical significance. No skin complications were reported. CONCLUSION: The novel cryoanesthetic device significantly alleviated needle-related pain during centesis procedures in dogs. It provided rapid local anesthesia, eliminating the need for prolonged onset times and minimizing skin complications, thereby presenting a viable alternative to topical anesthetics.