Clinicians attitudes to pain and the use of analgesia in cattle

There is now unequivocal evidence demonstrating the benefits of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the management of bovine disease. This includes mastitis,1 respiratory disease2 and more recently lameness.3 However, there is also good evidence that the use of these NSAIDs has a benefit in routine procedures such as disbudding and castration.4 NSAIDs have a range of actions including anti-inflammatory action and anti-pyrexic properties, as well as pain relief. It is not always clear which of these properties are responsible for the benefit seen, but most importantly there is a net benefit to the health and welfare to the animal. The role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of disease in both people and cattle is a key research area. In people, macrophage secreted factors have been shown to induce adipocyte inflammation and insulin resistance5 and it may be that this...

Source: Veterinary Record - October 13, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Reader, J. Tags: Research Source Type: research