Question of the Day

A dog presented for ovariohysterectomy would benefit the most from the use of pre-emptive analgesia because she is not painful prior to surgery. Pre-emptive means to intervene prior to an expected event or consequence.

Analgesia prior to the beginning of surgery minimizes sensitization of the pain and stress responses, and results in fewer complications and shorter hospital stays.

The pain response is already highly stimulated in all the other patients listed. Chronic pain is present in the German shepherd with osteosarcoma and the horse with laminitis.