The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice
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Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. · Nov 2008
ReviewMultimodal pain management in veterinary medicine: the physiologic basis of pharmacologic therapies.
Multimodal analgesia refers to the practice of combining multiple analgesic drug classes or techniques to target different points along the pain pathway in an effort to improve analgesia. This strategy requires an understanding of pain physiology and pathophysiology so pharmacologic interventions can be tailored to meet the needs of the patient. This article reviews the physiologic basis of pain as it relates to analgesic treatments and also introduces new developments in molecular biology that may guide analgesic drug development in the future.
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Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. · Nov 2008
ReviewEpidural analgesia and anesthesia in dogs and cats.
Current knowledge of drugs administered epidurally has allowed an effective way of providing analgesia for a wide variety of conditions in veterinary patients. Proper selection of drugs and dosages can result in analgesia of specific segments of the spinal cord with minimal side effects. Epidural anesthesia is an alternative to general anesthesia with inhalation anesthetics, although the combination of both techniques is more common and allows for reduced doses of drugs used with each technique. Epidural anesthesia and intravenous anesthetics can also be used without inhalation anesthetics in surgical procedures caudal to the diaphragm.
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Feline aggression-between cats or directed at humans-is, after inappropriate elimination and urine-marking behaviors, the second most common reason cats are seen by behavioral specialists. For diagnosis and treatment it is important to determine the motivation for the aggression. ⋯ Sexually motivated and status related aggression are much more rare. Treatment includes a combination of behavioral modification, environmental modification, and, in some cases, medication.
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Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. · Sep 2008
ReviewPreventing behavior problems in puppies and kittens.
There are many common issues that owners find problematic with their puppy's or kitten's behavior, such as eliminating in inappropriate locations, chewing, mouthing, growling, and biting. Many of these issues can be prevented or managed by helping owners understand normal canine and feline behavior and by teaching the puppy and kitten socially acceptable behaviors. The focus always should be on rewarding acceptable behaviors rather than punishing unacceptable ones. Puppy Preschool and Kitten Kindergarten classes are an ideal avenue to introduce pet owners to modern, humane ways to train and socialize their pets to be a valuable part of today's society.
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Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. · Sep 2008
ReviewExpanding families: preparing for and introducing dogs and cats to infants, children, and new pets.
Once clients make a decision to expand their family with children or pets, veterinarians can be instrumental in providing education and support to make the additions successful. Veterinarians should remind clients to make changes in the household well in advance of the new addition's arrival, to be patient, to make all introductions safe and controlled, and to reward good behavior. If problems arise, owners should be advised to separate those involved and get behavioral treatment as soon as possible. Through these simple steps, veterinarians can increase the likelihood that clients will be able to integrate new family members successfully.