Analgesic drug administration and attitudes about analgesia in cattle among bovine practitioners in the United States

Virginia R. Fajt Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843.

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 DVM, PhD, DACVCP
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Sarah A. Wagner Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108.

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Bo Norby Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843.

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.238.6.755
Volume/Issue:
Volume 238: Issue 6
Online Publication Date:
15 Mar 2011
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Abstract

Objective—To determine current attitudes and practices related to pain and analgesia in cattle among US veterinarians in bovine practice and to identify factors associated with these attitudes and practices.

Design—Web-based survey.

Sample—3,019 US members of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) with e-mail addresses.

Procedures—Veterinarians were invited via e-mail to participate in a Web-based survey. Respondents replied to questions related to pain and analgesia and supplied personal, professional, and demographic information. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed, and associations among various factors were examined.

Results—666 surveys (25.5% response rate) were analyzed. Among common procedures and medical conditions of cattle listed on the survey, castration of dairy calves < 6 months old was subjectively estimated as causing the least pain; abdominal surgery, toxic mastitis, and dehorning of calves > 6 months old were assessed as causing the greatest pain. Respondents reported not providing analgesic drugs to approximately 70% of calves castrated at < 6 months of age. The most commonly administered analgesics were NSAIDs, local anesthetics, and α2-adrenergic receptor agonists. Significant associations were detected among respondent characteristics and pain ratings, percentages of cattle treated, and opinions regarding analgesia.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results provide information on current attitudes and practices related to pain and analgesia in cattle among US veterinarians in bovine practice and can be considered in the development of policies and protocols for pain management in cattle. These data can be compared with those of future studies to examine changes over time.

Abstract

Objective—To determine current attitudes and practices related to pain and analgesia in cattle among US veterinarians in bovine practice and to identify factors associated with these attitudes and practices.

Design—Web-based survey.

Sample—3,019 US members of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) with e-mail addresses.

Procedures—Veterinarians were invited via e-mail to participate in a Web-based survey. Respondents replied to questions related to pain and analgesia and supplied personal, professional, and demographic information. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed, and associations among various factors were examined.

Results—666 surveys (25.5% response rate) were analyzed. Among common procedures and medical conditions of cattle listed on the survey, castration of dairy calves < 6 months old was subjectively estimated as causing the least pain; abdominal surgery, toxic mastitis, and dehorning of calves > 6 months old were assessed as causing the greatest pain. Respondents reported not providing analgesic drugs to approximately 70% of calves castrated at < 6 months of age. The most commonly administered analgesics were NSAIDs, local anesthetics, and α2-adrenergic receptor agonists. Significant associations were detected among respondent characteristics and pain ratings, percentages of cattle treated, and opinions regarding analgesia.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results provide information on current attitudes and practices related to pain and analgesia in cattle among US veterinarians in bovine practice and can be considered in the development of policies and protocols for pain management in cattle. These data can be compared with those of future studies to examine changes over time.

Contributor Notes

Presented in part as a poster at the International Beef Cattle Welfare Symposium, Manhattan, Kan, May 2008, and as an oral presentation at the Annual Convention of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, Charlotte, NC, September 2008.

The authors thank Caroline Hewson, Ian Dohoo, Kip Lempke, and Herman Barkema for providing a copy of their survey of large animal veterinarians; M. Gatz Riddell Jr for providing access to the AABP membership database; Justin Flynn for technical assistance with the survey; and W. Alex Mcintosh and Wesley Dean for assistance with construction of the survey.

Address correspondence to Dr. Fajt (vfajt@cvm.tamu.edu).
Cover Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Publication Date:
15 Mar 2011
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