Special Issue "Advances in the Use of Therapeutic Drugs for Improved Animal Welfare"

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Welfare".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2022.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Peter White
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Science, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, Australia
Interests: animal welfare; pain mitigation; pain measurement and evaluation; pharmacology of analgesic drugs
Dr. Dominique Van der Saag
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Camden, Australia
Interests: animal welfare; animal pain; pain management in livestock; pain measurement; pharmacology of pain management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pain is being increasingly recognized by pet owners and consumers of animal-based products as a major contributor to reduced animal welfare. In particular, consumers of animal products demand higher levels of welfare for farmed animals, and this includes reducing pain, especially where painful husbandry procedures are concerned. Currently, there are limitations on the number of therapeutic agents available for the treatment of pain in animals. This is especially the case for farmed animals, where the issues of cost, withholding period and prescribed medications may prevent the adoption of a widespread analgesic use.

This Special Issue seeks articles related to the management of pain in animals, including novel therapeutics, novel delivery methods of therapeutics and treatment of chronic pain. 

Dr. Peter White
Dr. Dominique Van der Saag
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Pain management
  • pain measurement
  • delivery methods
  • analgesics
  • livestock
  • chronic pain

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

Article
Preliminary Investigation into a Novel Sustained-Release Formulation of Meloxicam in Sheep (Ovis aries)—Pharmacokinetic Profile
Animals 2021, 11(9), 2484; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092484 - 24 Aug 2021
Viewed by 280
Abstract
This study is a preliminary investigation describing the pharmacokinetic profile of a novel subcutaneous sustained-release meloxicam formulation (SRMF) in sheep. Six merino ewe hoggets (41.5 ± 4.6 kg) were treated with a novel subcutaneous SRMF at 2 mg/kg bodyweight (BW). Blood samples were [...] Read more.
This study is a preliminary investigation describing the pharmacokinetic profile of a novel subcutaneous sustained-release meloxicam formulation (SRMF) in sheep. Six merino ewe hoggets (41.5 ± 4.6 kg) were treated with a novel subcutaneous SRMF at 2 mg/kg bodyweight (BW). Blood samples were collected at t = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 48, 96, 144, 168, 192, and 336 h following treatment, and interstitial (ISF) fluid samples were collected at periods of 8 to 12 h, 12 to 24 h, 24 to 48 h, 48 to 52 h, and 92 to 96 h following treatment. High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis with ultraviolet detection was utilised to determine the concentration of meloxicam in plasma and ISF. The SRMF exhibited the following mean (±SD) pharmacokinetic indices: Cmax of 1.58 μg/mL (±0.82 μg/mL) at a Tmax of 10.0 h (±1.79 h), and half life (t1/2) of 31.4 h (±13.17 h) in sheep plasma. Interstitial fluid samples were collected from three of the six sheep, with a decrease in meloxicam concentration exhibited over 52 h. This study demonstrates a variable extended t1/2, a delayed Tmax, and a lower Cmax of the SRMF, as compared to that of a conventional meloxicam formulation (CMF) in sheep, as previously referenced (t1/2: 14.28 h; Tmax: 5 h; Cmax: 15.94 μg/mL). Further research to determine the clinical efficacy and safety of the SRMF in sheep is warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Use of Therapeutic Drugs for Improved Animal Welfare)
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Article
Analysis of Animal Well-Being When Supplementing Drinking Water with Tramadol or Metamizole during Chronic Pancreatitis
Animals 2020, 10(12), 2306; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10122306 - 05 Dec 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 604
Abstract
Pain management during in vivo experiments is an animal welfare concern and is in many countries also legally required. In this study, we evaluated C57Bl/6J mice when 3 g/L metamizole or 1 g/L tramadol was provided via drinking water, before and during cerulein-induced [...] Read more.
Pain management during in vivo experiments is an animal welfare concern and is in many countries also legally required. In this study, we evaluated C57Bl/6J mice when 3 g/L metamizole or 1 g/L tramadol was provided via drinking water, before and during cerulein-induced chronic pancreatitis. Supplementation of drinking water with metamizole or tramadol did not significantly reduce the amount of consumed water. In order to evaluate the wellbeing of mice, a distress score, burrowing activity, nesting behavior, and body weight was assessed. Before induction of pancreatitis, neither tramadol nor metamizole influenced these readout parameters. Chronic pancreatitis caused a significantly increased distress score, decreased burrowing activity and a reduction in body weight. Mice drinking tramadol-supplemented water experienced less loss in body weight and consumed more water than mice drinking metamizole, at a few time-points during chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatic atrophy, a characteristic feature of chronic pancreatitis was not differentially influenced by either analgesic. In conclusion, both analgesics can be used during 33 days of chronic pancreatitis, but tramadol seems to be moderately advantageous when compared to metamizole. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Use of Therapeutic Drugs for Improved Animal Welfare)
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Article
Pressure Algometry Validation and Determination of Efficacy of Articaine Hydrochloride Ring Block in Antler Removal in Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)
Animals 2020, 10(11), 2023; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10112023 - 03 Nov 2020
Viewed by 559
Abstract
New Zealand deer farming centres on the production of meat and velvet antler. Velvet antler removal is a painful procedure and currently, New Zealand Animal Welfare regulations dictate surgical removal of velvet antlers under lignocaine anaesthesia. To improve our knowledge on the efficacy [...] Read more.
New Zealand deer farming centres on the production of meat and velvet antler. Velvet antler removal is a painful procedure and currently, New Zealand Animal Welfare regulations dictate surgical removal of velvet antlers under lignocaine anaesthesia. To improve our knowledge on the efficacy and duration of other local anaesthetics to mitigate pain after antler removal, it is important to accurately assess and quantify pain arising from antler removal. Therefore, the current study was designed to validate mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) testing using a Wagner hand-held algometer, and to apply this methodology to assess the efficacy and duration of action of articaine for antler removal in deer. Baseline force (N) required to elicit the nociceptive response was recorded in 40 yearling male red deer on three alternate days. Ten of the 40 animals were selected for antler removal after administration of 4% articaine hydrochloride as a ring block. The duration of analgesic efficacy of articaine was assessed by algometry across 5 time points. There was a significant difference in MNTs among the three days (day 3 versus day 1 (p < 0.0001), day 2 versus day 1 (p < 0.0001), and day 1 versus day 2 (p < 0.01)). Positive correlations were observed between weight, antler length and thresholds. The MNT values remained above 20N for 6 h after removal of velvet antlers under the articaine ring block. This study provides valuable information about the use of MNT in red deer. These findings lay a foundation for future studies in the topics of peri-operative and postoperative pain management in deer antler removal, and a possible alternative use for articaine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Use of Therapeutic Drugs for Improved Animal Welfare)
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