Animal welfare: See things from their perspective – 23 September 2006 – New Scientist
This New Scientist article suggests that a tendency to anthropomorphize animals’ emotions sometimes prevents us from making the best decisions about their care. Specifically, cats’ stoicism (to use an anthropomorphic term!) may prompt vets to provide them with less analgesia during or after surgery.
Following up on this, I was shocked to find a 2006 article suggesting that as recently as 2001, some Canadian vets still didn’t use any preoperative or postoperative analgesia for dogs or cats (although they did use operative anesthesia – it’d be pretty hard to hold the animal still otherwise). I guess I thought everyone understood by now that animals – or at least mammals like dogs and cats – do feel pain! (A second paper by the same group investigated the factors which influence analgesic use by vets.)
Fortunately, the use of painkillers by Canadian vets has increased since a previous survey in 1994:
The Canadian study was conducted in 1994 (S. Dohoo, personal communication 2001). It was a randomized national survey with a high response rate (76%) and showed that approximately 50% of veterinarians did not use analgesics in the postoperative management of dogs and cats. The chief reasons cited for nonuse were the veterinarians’ perception of the amount of pain felt postoperatively and their concerns about the risk of adverse reactions to opioid analgesics, then the only analgesics available.
Notably, the 2001 study suggests that a substantial number of cats still don’t receive painkillers after onychectomy (declawing – about 20%) or ovariohysterectomy (spaying – about 50%). The numbers are similar for spayed dogs. Having seen my own cat trying pathetically to walk after her spaying, I know she must have been in substantial pain. But I was told it was just the effects of anaesthesia, and I was happy to believe it. She couldn’t tell me otherwise.
My greyhound was spayed today no prebloods screened as far as I was aware were taken, she was allowed home after a few hours in obvious pain no painkillers prescribe ,she is in obvious pain which I find extremely distressing for me watching her and it seems in- humane and brutal to carry out such a major procedure and discharge her/us with no anlalgesia postoperativly the reason been she would be too active if painfree and this would cause more damage than to be in pain for a short while. I hope one day he has his balls( TESTES) removed and be free to substantiate his resaoning I am agast at such cruel behaviour from a so calles vet!!!!!!!
well i’m glad that as long as you don’t have to hear your animal verbally complaining it doesn’t bother you. but that doesn’t help me sleep any better. but thanks for the false hope.
Patti,
I respect and sympathize with your anger. Some vets, particularly older ones, don’t seem to appreciate how much pain an animal can feel. But you have an absolute right to speak for your dog and demand anaesthesia if you see her suffering. I didn’t do that when my cat was spayed, because we’re taught to respect what the vet says, over the evidence of our own eyes. But owners know the behavior of their pet better than a stranger, and they know when something is very wrong. We need to have more confidence in that gut feeling.
Shannon,
I think you misunderstand. My point is that since our animals can’t complain verbally, we should be even more sensitive to the fact that they may be in pain – even if a vet tells us it’s all ok, we should trust our instincts.
I don’t know what “hope” you were looking for, but if you don’t think your pet is being treated effectively by your vet, you should have a talk with him or her about your concerns.