A recent survey study conducted by Joanna Martino-Boulton and colleagues sheds light on the current practices and attitudes toward anaesthesia and analgesia during spay surgery in the United Kingdom. While there has been notable progress in the awareness and treatment of peri-operative pain in dogs and cats, the study identifies several areas where improvements are needed, particularly in feline pain assessment and the use of locoregional anaesthesia.

Study Overview:

The survey was distributed online to veterinary professionals through a combination of email invitations and social media posts. It included 57 questions divided into six sections, addressing aspects of anaesthesia and analgesia practices in spay surgeries for both dogs and cats. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, means, and proportions.

Key Findings:

1. Confidence in Pain Management: Confidence in managing pain varied by the decade of graduation. Veterinarians who graduated before 2001 showed the lowest confidence (6%), while those who graduated between 2001-2010 (43%) and 2011-2020 (37%) reported higher confidence levels (p = 0.007). Newer graduates (2021) showed less confidence (14%), highlighting the need for continued education and training in pain management for younger practitioners.

2. Multimodal Analgesia Implementation: While multimodal analgesia was reported to be implemented in 43% of cat spays and 44% of dog spays, the overall implementation rates were still moderate, suggesting there is room for improvement in adopting this approach more consistently across practices.

3. Use of Locoregional Blocks: The study found a significant difference in the use of locoregional blocks between species. 82% of veterinarians reported using locoregional blocks (mostly with lidocaine) in dogs, compared to just 43% in cats (p < 0.001). This discrepancy suggests that the use of these techniques is underutilized in feline procedures, despite their effectiveness in managing perioperative pain.

4. Pain Perception: Veterinarians perceived post-surgical pain as more intense in dogs than in cats (p < 0.001). This perception could be linked to differences in pain expression between species, but it also suggests potential gaps in assessing and managing pain in cats post-surgery.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance:

While UK veterinarians have made notable strides in improving analgesia practices during spay surgeries, the study highlights areas for improvement:

• Feline pain assessment needs to be more consistent and accurate, as veterinarians reported a lower level of confidence and a more significant challenge in identifying and managing pain in cats.

• Locoregional anaesthetic techniques, particularly in cats, should be implemented more widely to enhance pain control during and after surgery. There is a clear need for better education and encouragement for veterinarians to incorporate these techniques into their practices.

This survey underscores the importance of continuing professional development in anaesthesia and analgesia, especially in regard to multimodal analgesia and locoregional techniques, for improving pain management in both cats and dogsundergoing spay surgery. Enhanced education and training programs tailored to these areas could lead to significant improvements in feline and canine perioperative care.

Key Takeaways for Veterinary Practice:

• Focus on improving feline pain assessment and ensuring more accurate pain management protocols for cats.

• Increase the implementation of locoregional anaesthesia, especially in cats, to improve pain control.

• Continue educating veterinary professionals, especially new graduates, on multimodal analgesia and effective pain management strategies.

This study serves as a call to action for the veterinary community to further refine and improve anaesthesia and analgesia practices, ensuring better outcomes for all pets undergoing spay surgery.

Read full article here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/vms3.70151