In this episode, Hannah and Dr Matt Gurney talk about what the “perfect” pain medication for dogs would look like in real life. They break this idea down into three key areas used in drug design and clinical choice: efficacy (how well it works), safety (short- and long-term), and accessibility (practical dosing, routes of administration and affordability). For each area, they explore what vets and owners hope for, where current drugs already meet many of these needs, and where there are still gaps. The conversation helps owners understand why vets combine different drugs and strategies to manage both acute and chronic pain, rather than relying on a single “magic” medication.

Guest bio

Dr Matt Gurney graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2003 and worked in mixed practice before returning to Liverpool to complete a residency in anaesthesia and analgesia. From 2009 to 2018 he developed and led the anaesthesia service at Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Cheshire. In 2018 he joined Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in the south of England. Matt is a European Veterinary Specialist and an RCVS Recognised Specialist in anaesthesia and analgesia, and is currently President of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia & Analgesia. His core interests are acute and chronic pain management. He is also co-founder of Zero Pain Philosophy, an online support service for vets and vet nurses focused on improving pain management in practice.

Key take-home messages (short)

1. The “perfect” pain medication needs to balance three things: strong effect, high safety and good practicality for real owners and dogs.

2. Many of the qualities we want from an ideal drug already exist across the range of pain medications we have today.

3. No single drug does everything, which is why vets often use multimodal pain management (several medications and approaches together).

4. Safety is not just about side effects today, but also about long-term use, interactions and the individual dog’s health status.

5. Accessibility matters: if a drug is too expensive, hard to give or awkward to dose, it will not work in the real world – even if it is excellent on paper.

Relevant links

Episode recording

YouTube live recording (published May 2022):

https://youtube.com/live/3jGXj358mBM

Dr Matt Gurney and clinical work

Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists – Matt’s current hospital:

https://www.andersonmoores.com

Zero Pain Philosophy – online support and education for vets and vet nurses:

https://www.zeropainphilosophy.com

CAM downloads – pain charts, guides and printable tools:

https://caninearthritis.co.uk/how-cam-can-help/downloads/

Suspicion of Chronic Pain – Observations Form (PDF) – to record behaviour, posture, capability and gait changes before a vet visit:

https://caninearthritis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Suspicion-of-Chronic-Pain-Observations-Form.pdf

You can join the CAM Member Zone for:

• extra videos and webinars on pain management and arthritis

• printable tools, checklists and planning guides

• a supportive community focused on keeping dogs comfortable for longer

Become a CAM member / Member Zone:

https://caninearthritis.co.uk/get-involved/become-a-cam-member/

Learn more about CAM:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CAMarthritis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canine_arthritis

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CanineArthritisManagement

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/canine-arthritis-management-ltd

Have questions send them to: info@caninearthritis.co.uk

Stay tuned to learn how early detection can make a significant difference in managing OA in younger dogs.