A passion for understanding and managing pain in animals is the driving force behind Duncan Lascelles, BVSc, Ph.D., and his team at the Comparative Pain Research Laboratory at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
The lab was presented with the 2006 Schering-Plough Veterinarian of the Year award for “the cutting-edge work they have done in understanding pain in companion animals and in working to further the understanding of pain management,” says Christopher Pappas Jr., DVM, director of Companion Animal Technical Services at Schering-Plough Animal Health.
Lascelles, a diplomate of the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Surgeons, realized there was very little research in the area of animal pain management while studying for his veterinary degree. With only four to six centers in the United States seriously involved in this research, “pain management is in its infancy,” he says.
“We need a better understanding of what goes on in the tissues when animals are in pain,” he says, adding that most research focuses on altering the progression of disease rather than alleviating the associated pain.
The owner’s involvement in reducing their pet’s pain is a key area of interest for Lascelles. Through at-home observations of an animal’s behavior and activity levels, in addition to limb use data obtained through a test that measures pressure exerted by each leg, the lab’s researchers hope to gain a better understanding of how pain affects animals.
Our pets enhance our quality of life, “but what are we doing for them?” Lascelles says. “For animals in chronic pain, they’re not enjoying their lives because of the pain ... We should be doing everything we can to alleviate it.” Lascelles and his team are dedicated to this compassionate pursuit. Our pets may thank them one day.