Dr Robert Trujanovic is an EBVS European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia & Analgesia. In our latest podcast we talk to Robert to share his experience of using botulinum toxin A in pain management in dogs. Robert is leading the field on this subject and brings his experience of interventional pain management to our Zero Pain community.

We explore

What is the mechanism of action of BT?

What sort of pain cases is BT used for in human medicine?

Can you please tell us about some cases where you have successfully used BT in dogs (any feline experience)

Are there some practical considerations you would like to mention?

References

·      Pioneering pain management with botulinum toxin type A: From anti-inflammation to regenerative therapies. Hamta Rahmatipour, Salar Mohammadi Shabestari, Soheila Zamanlui Benisi, Hamidreza Samadikhah

·      Botulinum toxin for the treatment of chronic pain. Review of the evidence. Roberto Carlo Rivera Día, Mario Andrés Arcila Lotero, María Victoria Avellaneda Suarez, Sara Echeverri Saldarriaga, Manuela Gómez Martínez

·      Botulinum Toxin in Chronic Lateral Epicondylitis, from Tendon to Muscle Approach—A Review

·      Transforaminal versus Intra-Articular Facet Corticosteroid Injections for the Treatment of Cervical Radiculopathy: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study N.J. Bureau, T. Moser, J.H. Dagher, D. Shedid, M. Li, P. Brassard and B.E. Leduc

·      Retrodural space of Okada in the posterior ligamentous complex region: clinical and anatomical findings relevant to lumbar interlaminar epidural injection

In the latest edition of The Zero Pain Philosophy podcast Matt talks to behaviour specialist Dr Carrie Tooley about sleep in dogs and cats. How many hours of sleep should dogs and cats be getting and how can sleep disturbance influence behaviour and emotional health?

Shownotes

• Why we sleep – Matthew Walker
• Li et al review (2022): The Influence of Sleep Disturbance on Chronic Pain: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11916-022-01074-2
• Sleep questionnaires – only one validated for use in dogs SNoRE 3.0: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-40048-1
• https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/pdsa-animal-wellbeing-report/paw-report-2024
• BSS (British Sleep Society)/ESRS (European Sleep Research Society) – memberships, webinars, conferences
• BSS have a few podcast episodes “BSS bites”

Understand how to incorporate pre visit sedation protocols with your cat or dog friendly approach

This podcast complements the pre-visit medication protocols that we have on Zero Pain Philosophy

Learn how to interpret some of the behaviours that anxious dogs are showing in the hospital and how our interactions with those pets are 90% of the solution

Review the pre-visit and hospital sedation protocols created by Dr Matt Gurney & Dr Sarah Heath first, as you listen to this podcast

Find the sedation protocols at www.zeropainphilosophy.com. Please note access is limited to veterinary professionals and we are unable to answer advice queries from pet owners. Please contact your vet. 

For information on behavioural medicine support from Behaviour Referrals Veterinary Practice please visit https://behaviouralreferrals.co.uk/

References

Mills, Daniel S et al. “Pain and Problem Behavior in Cats and Dogs.” Animals : an open access journal from MDPI vol. 10,2 318. 18 Feb. 2020, doi:10.3390/ani10020318

Tooley, Carrie, and Sarah E Heath. “Emotional Arousal Impacts Physical Health in Dogs: A Review of Factors Influencing Arousal, with Exemplary Case and Framework.” Animals : an open access journal from MDPI vol. 13,3 465. 28 Jan. 2023, doi:10.3390/ani13030465

In our latest podcast, Modifying the Microbiome to Minimise Pain, Matt talks to Dr Siobhain O’Mahony, a leading academic in microbiome research. Dr O’Mahony has published work within human medicine, examining the link between the microbiome and pain outcomes after surgery. And we ask, ‘How could this translate into our field of veterinary pain management?’ 

We also touch upon what we should eat ourselves and ask whether we are feeding our pets correctly.

References for shownotes

The gut microbiota as a key regulator of visceral pain (2017)

The gut microbiota in persistent post-operative pain following breast cancer surgery

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11137075/

Stevens, Christina et al. “Gut Microbiome and Osteoarthritis: Insights From the Naturally Occurring Canine Model of Osteoarthritis.” Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.), 10.1002/art.42956. 19 Jul. 2024, doi:10.1002/art.42956

Stewart, H L et al. “Differences in the equine faecal microbiota between horses presenting to a tertiary referral hospital for colic compared with an elective surgical procedure.” Equine veterinary journal vol. 51,3 (2019): 336-342. doi:10.1111/evj.13010

Stewart, Holly L et al. “Changes in the faecal bacterial microbiota during hospitalisation of horses with colic and the effect of different causes of colic.” Equine veterinary journal vol. 53,6 (2021): 1119-1131. doi:10.1111/evj.13389

Jan S Suchodolski

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34514619/

The Dysbiosis Index (DI) is a validated quantitative PCR assay for canine fecal samples that measures the abundance of seven important bacterial taxa and summarizes the results as one single number. 

The DI can be used to assess the microbiome in clinical patients over time and in response to therapy (eg, fecal microbiota transplantation).

Spoiler alert - you need to listen to this podcast to understand if there is a place for subcutaneous methadone in veterinary clinical practice!

In this edition, Matt reviews the first paper that investigated pharmacokinetics of subcutaneous methadone and first raised the question of using this route in dogs. Matt then chats to anaesthesia specialist Aoife Ryan about a study they performed together to attempt to enhance our understanding around this topic. With Carl, we then chat through a recent publication examining this route of administration in dogs.

For more on methadone, please see our pain update 'Methadone, the most versatile opioid' here

https://www.zeropainphilosophy.com/post/methadone-the-most-versatile-opioid

Need more detail? You can watch this webinar on methadone

https://www.zeropainphilosophy.com/members-webinars

References discussed in this podcast

Bini G, Vettorato E, De Gennaro C, Corletto F. A retrospective comparison of two analgesic strategies after uncomplicated tibial plateau levelling osteotomy in dogs. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2018 Jul;45(4):557-565. doi: 10.1016/j.vaa.2017.11.005.

Ingvast-Larsson C, Holgersson A, Bondesson U, Lagerstedt AS, Olsson K. Clinical pharmacology of methadone in dogs. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2010 Jan;37(1):48-56. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-2995.2009.00476.x.

Ryan AC, Murrell JC, Gurney MA. Post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) observed in a clinical study designed to assess the analgesic effects of intravenous and subcutaneous methadone in dogs. Vet J. 2022 Sep;287:105876. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2022.105876.

Upchurch D, Lin KTT, KuKanich B. Two doses of subcutaneous methadone for postoperative analgesia in dogs undergoing tibial plateau levelling osteotomies. J Small Anim Pract. 2024 Jun;65(6):368-375. doi: 10.1111/jsap.13728.

Professor Clare Rusbridge is a global thought leader in the management of syringomyelia, Chiari malformation and phantom scratching. To assist vets in treatment of these conditions, Clare has recently updated and released her 2024 treatment algorithms. In this episode, Matt discusses the new algorithms with Clare, as well as ensuring we have our diagnosis correct and also looking to the future with these diseases.

You can read the treatment algorithms here:

https://veterinary-neurologist.co.uk/cmsm-new-treatment-algorithm-2024/

This is the link to the symptom checker:

https://veterinary-neurologist.co.uk/chiari-checker/

Find Clare's YouTube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/@clare-neurovet

Link to Head Space project:

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/research-projects/head-space-project-canine-chiari-group

Meet Prof Paulo Steagall. Hear about his career, where the

In this episode, Matt & Carl chat through all things relating to feline pain scoring with Paulo and explore a number of questions.

Are cats difficult to pain score?

The podcast takes a look at how pain scoring is just one

Listen to Paulo’s reflections on burprenorphine and how the

Show notes below are the papers that we refer to within the podcast and you can link to the mentioned pain scale resource here

Steagall PV, Robertson S, Simon B, Warne LN, Shilo-Benjamini

Steagall PV, Monteiro BP. Acute pain in cats: Recent

Marangoni S, Beatty J, Steagall PV. An ethogram of acute

Evangelista MC, Watanabe R, Leung VSY, Monteiro BP, O'Toole

Steagall PV, Monteiro-Steagall BP, Taylor PM. A review of

Watanabe R, Frank D, Steagall PV. Pain behaviors before and

Watanabe R, Doodnaught G, Proulx C, Auger JP, Monteiro B,

Monteiro BP, Lee NH, Steagall PV. Can cat caregivers

Belli M, de Oliveira AR, de Lima MT, Trindade PHE, Steagall

Zero Pain Philosophy is an educational resource for vet professionals.

It's been two years since bedinvetmab was launched as a treatment for the pain associated with osteoarthritis - quickly followed by frunevetmab. During that time Matt has lectured around the world on the topic. This podcast brings together a number of questions that have been raised as part of those lectures - and we always say that if someone has a question, then 10 are people are thinking the same thing!

After this podcast you will have a better understanding of the anti nerve growth factor agents. If you have questions, we would love to help. Please use the contact box to send us a message.

Don't forget that we offer a telemedicine service - so for case advice, please ask for our help!

Reflective learning

What further questions does this podcast content raise for you?

How will this understanding impact the management of your current and future patients?

Learning actions

Revise the mechanism of action of anti nerve growth factor agents (both references below)

Review the data sheet (summary of product characteristics) for bedinvetmab (Librela/Beransa) and frunevetmab (Solensia).

Practice discussion

As a practice team do we feel that anti-NGF agents are a first line treatment for OA in dogs and cats?

References

Enomoto M, Mantyh PW, Murrell J, Innes JF, Lascelles BDX. Anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibodies for the control of pain in dogs and cats. Vet Rec. 2019 Jan 5;184(1):23. doi: 10.1136/vr.104590. Epub 2018 Oct 27. PMID: 30368458; PMCID: PMC6326241.

Schmelz M, Mantyh P, Malfait AM, Farrar J, Yaksh T, Tive L, Viktrup L. Nerve growth factor antibody for the treatment of osteoarthritis pain and chronic low-back pain: mechanism of action in the context of efficacy and safety. Pain. 2019 Oct;160(10):2210-2220. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001625. PMID: 31145219; PMCID: PMC6756297.

Join Matt & Carl as we discuss the two papers here that document the difference between using pregabalin and gabapentin after spinal surgery in dogs.

Reflective learning

After listening to this podcast do you see a place for gabapentinoids in the management of pain following spinal surgery?

How will this understanding impact the management of your current and future patients? 

Learning actions

Watch Gwen Covey Crump's webinar on gabapentinoids.

Watch Matt's webinar on descending modulation which explores the mechanism of action of gabapentinoids.

Practice discussion 

As a practice team discuss your use of gabapentinoids.

References

Aghighi SA, Tipold A, Piechotta M, Lewczuk P, Kästner SB. Assessment of the effects of adjunctive gabapentin on postoperative pain after intervertebral disc surgery in dogs. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2012 Nov;39(6):636-46. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-2995.2012.00769.x. Epub 2012 Aug 10. PMID: 22882632.

Almeida et al (2023) Evaluation of Gabapentin in the Treatment of Postoperative Pain after a Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy in Dogs DOI https://doi.org/

10.1055/s-0042-1751069.

Crociolli GC, Cassu RN, Barbero RC, Rocha TL, Gomes DR, Nicácio GM. Gabapentin as an adjuvant for postoperative pain management in dogs undergoing mastectomy. J Vet Med Sci. 2015 Aug;77(8):1011-5. doi: 10.1292/jvms.14-0602. Epub 2015 Mar 29. PMID: 25816802; PMCID: PMC4565804.

Schmierer, P. A., Tünsmeyer, J., Tipold, A., Hartnack-Wilhelm, S., Lesczuk, P., & Kästner, S. B. R. (2020). Randomized controlled trial of pregabalin for analgesia after surgical treatment of intervertebral disc disease in dogs. Veterinary Surgery, 49(5), 905–913. https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.13411

What is ERAS? What are the principles and components of ERAS? In this podcast Carl will explore these questions, some of the medical and veterinary literature and explain how we can incorporate this into our everyday clinical practice and pain management protocols.

Your learning outcomes for this podcast are;

Understand what ERAS is

Learn how some published studies can be used to practice ERAS in your clinic

Your option for reflection

Consider how you can incorporate ERAS into your daily practice

References

The references and further information are all contained within our Pain Update, which you can read here.

https://www.zeropainphilosophy.com/post/enhanced-recovery-after-surgery