Recipient Organization
TUFTS UNIVERSITY
200 WESTBORO ROAD
N. GRAFTON,MA 01536
Performing Department
CLINICAL SCIENCES
Non Technical Summary
Over the past two decades, major barriers that had hindered modern medicine from easing the suffering of humans in pain have been overcome. Considerable barriers to the provision of pain relief in animals still exist due to lack of training and sufficient expertise. One large segment of the veterinary field that suffers from significant deficiencies to the treatment of pain is that of research animal. To address this problem, a new veterinary sub-specialty will need to be created, that of the individual who is skilled in modern veterinary pain management techniques, as well as versed in the implications of the regulatory environment and the specialist knowledge required for a wide variety of laboratory animal species needing care.
Animal Health Component
75%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
25%
Applied
75%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
In veterinary schools and specialty practices, pain medicine is taught to veterinary students, but there are not enough hours in the curriculum to add this important subject in sufficient depth. Patients at these few specialty practices and at veterinary school hospitals benefit from a baseline of pain consideration and treatment that is greater than the norm in a general practice. It is estimated that of the approximately 25,000 general small animal veterinary practices in the U.S., less than half of them use pain relievers stronger than aspirin. Barriers to provision of pain relief in owned veterinary patients (pets, working animals, zoo animals) include lack of sufficient training by veterinarians and nurses, lack of third party payment for medical services, and lack of recognition of the importance of adequate pain treatment. Pain may be regarded as important by the owner and by those involved in its health care, but the lack of confidence in the safety and
efficacy of treatment options is a significant problem. The barriers that still exist for laboratory animals stem from 1) a lack of sufficient training of its veterinarians in pain medicine, and 2) a lack of information about proven or feasible techniques in common laboratory animal species such as swine, rabbits, small ruminants, etc. Key approaches to removing these barriers must involve education of veterinarians and animal care technicians, and research into methods of providing appropriate pain relief in the diverse species and diverse research models that are found in biomedical research. In order to do this, a new sub-specialty is needed, that of the individual who is adept in modern veterinary pain medicine techniques, as well as versed in the implications of regulatory and species aspects of lab animal care. Such individuals would serve multiple purposes: 1. They will educate others (veterinarians enrolled in laboratory animal medicine residencies, and existing lab animal
veterinarians and technicians) in pain assessment and treatment. 2. They will act as advisors to IACUCs (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) and regulatory bodies in what is effective and reasonable. 3. They will identify areas of laboratory animal pain medicine where evidence-based approaches to providing effective pain management are needed and will engage in the conduct and review of such research.
Project Methods
This project is for a training grant to foster the advancement of a veterinary professional to take on the roles outlined above. The year of training provided for by this project will direct the activities of the resident to several areas specific to laboratory animal anesthesia and analgesia. During the funded year the resident: 1. will attend as a guest or member, regular IACUC meetings, as well as participate on a discussion list on laboratory animal issues, conduct literature surveys on publications in the field of laboratory animal pain medicine and on the IVAPM (International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management) list to develop an overview of the issues faced in laboratory animal medicine. 2. will undertake, or participate in as a co-investigator, a study in an area relevant to lab animal pain medicine. 3. will be mentored in such a way that they can participate in teaching of continuing education in pain medicine to laboratory animal veterinarians and
technicians, and attend one or more conferences in this specialty.