Perioperative pain management in horses is a field that is still growing and there is much to be learned. In this episode, we are building upon our previous conversation with Dr. Rachel Reed, a boarded veterinary anesthesiologist from the University of Georgia, who has primarily focused her research on opioid use in horses. During this discussion, host Dr. Bonnie Gatson and Dr. Reed explore the last few years of research integrating opioids into the perioperative pain management plan in horses. Together, they will consider the challenges of pain assessment in horses following general anesthesia, epigenetic implications of behavioral changes observed with opioid administration in this species, using buprenorphine and fentanyl patches in horses, and why you should consider using hydromorphone as part of your perioperative anesthetic plan. Don’t miss this incredibly insightful discussion on how we are progressing towards optimizing pain management in this understudied species!

This episode is a continuation of our previous episode on opioid use in horses. Please listen to that episode if you have not done so already.

If you have questions for Dr. Reed regarding her pain management research in horses, she can be contacted at rreed@uga.edu. Below are a few links to some of her more recent research manuscripts on the clinical use of hydromorphone and fentanyl patches in horses:

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of hydromorphone after intravenous and intramuscular administration in horses

A retrospective evaluation of the effect of perianesthetic hydromorphone administration on the incidence of postanesthetic signs of colic in horses

The pharmacokinetics of a fentanyl matrix patch applied at three different anatomical locations in horses

If you like what you hear, consider becoming a member of the North American Veterinary Anesthesia Society (NAVAS) for access to more anesthesia and analgesia educational and RACE-approved CE content.

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You can expect a new episode on the 15th, or just after, of each month.

If you have question about this episode or if you want to suggest topics for future episodes, please reach out to the producers of this podcast at education@mynavas.org.

Special thanks to Chris Webster, Saul Jimenez, and Maria Bridges for making this podcast a reality.