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Pain and Its Control in Reptiles
Sean M Perry1, Javier G Nevarez1
1Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Exotic Animal Practice
|November 18, 2017
Summary
Reptiles can feel pain and show signs of distress. Pure mu-opioid receptor agonists are recommended for reptile pain relief, alongside multimodal analgesia when pain is expected.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Physiology
- Pain Management
Background:
- Reptiles possess the necessary anatomical and physiological structures for pain detection and perception.
- Reptilian species exhibit observable behaviors indicative of pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current literature on pain perception and analgesia in reptiles.
- To identify optimal analgesic strategies for veterinary patients within the Reptilia class.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of scientific articles and veterinary case studies.
- Analysis of research on reptilian pain pathways and analgesic drug efficacy.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests that pure mu-opioid receptor agonists are the most effective analgesics currently available for reptiles.
- Multimodal analgesia is advised for all reptile patients experiencing or anticipating pain.
Conclusions:
- Reptiles are capable of experiencing pain, necessitating appropriate pain management protocols.
- Further research utilizing diverse pain models is required to comprehensively assess analgesic efficacy across different reptile orders.
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