Animalcare is raising awareness of the need to avoid osteoarthritis breakthrough pain, starting with a free virtual CPD event led by RCVS and EBVS European Veterinary Specialist in Anaesthesia and Analgesia, Matt Gurney. The webinar is the first of several communication events that will focus attention on patients owned by the estimated 80 percent of owners who feel that their pets with canine osteoarthritis (OA) may be suffering from off-days that can be associated with breakthrough pain.
Veterinary professionals can register for the event, which takes place on 13 July at 7pm (BST) online. All those who register will also be able to view a recording and enter a free prize draw for the chance to win tickets to attend London Vet Show live in November.
The session is the first in a series of Accelerator events run by London Vet Show which address areas of growing importance in veterinary medicine and will culminate in a roundtable later in the year in which experts will address the most relevant and current information on the topic. The topic certainly qualifies as being of interest to the profession, as 87 percent of vets agree that avoiding osteoarthritis breakthrough pain is critical to the management of canine OA.
Marketing Manager at Animalcare, James Beaumont, says that addressing breakthrough pain is of importance, both for patient welfare and client confidence, “Veterinary surgeons have told us that they estimate that nearly half of their canine OA cases on daily NSAIDs experience breakthrough pain. Additionally, a proportion of pet owners state their dogs experience off-days and believe their pet suffers as a result of the condition. We’re very pleased to be bringing this important issue to the forefront of attention and making it a talking point for the profession.”
Key factors in the presence of osteoarthritis breakthrough pain in dogs can include variable plasma drug levels between doses, intermittent treatment protocols or poor owner adherence with the vet’s recommendation, flare-ups and disease progression.
Speaker, Matt Gurney is President of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia and through his Zero Pain Philosophy programme has been working with veterinary professionals around the world to achieve excellence in their approach to pain management. During the virtual session, Matt will explain the impact breakthrough pain has on the pet and owner and how to approach it more effectively using analgesic and rehabilitation tools and strategies.
The event is open to veterinarians throughout Europe and beyond who aspire to deliver quality care and support their canine osteoarthritis cases more effectively, with registration now open.