Veterinary professionals urged to take part in Big Pain Survey

Vets and RVNs are being urged to complete the second Big Pain Survey as part of organisers’ efforts to close pain management knowledge gaps.

The vet-led Zero Pain Philosophy initiative is aiming to help veterinary professionals take a zero-tolerance approach to pain in their patients.

It has brought back a survey it wants as many vets, VNs, vet technicians and veterinary physiotherapists as possible to complete so it can gauge where work is still needed.

Awareness month

The survey has been rolled out in time for the international Pain Awareness Month running in September.

Last year, results from the first Big Pain Survey showed only 19% of veterinary professionals routinely used pain scoring for chronic pain while 78% of practices did not have pain clinics – although more than 56% wanted to introduce them.

Analgesia was prescribed by vets in 23% of acute otitis external cases, 70% said they did not do epidural anaesthesia at their practice and most said client understanding of pain inputs was low.

Information

Zero Pain Philosophy conceived in 2016 by analgesic specialists Matt Gurney and Carl Bradbrook, said last year’s results suggested awareness of educational information, such as the WSAVA pain management guidelines, needed improvement – especially around local anaesthesia.

Of those taking part, 85% or respondents were vets and 63% of those had been qualified more than 10 years. Veterinary professionals across the globe are being urged to take part this year.

Vets can complete the survey online while VNs and vet techs can visit a separate survey.

As an incentive, survey participants have a chance to win three months of free membership to Zero Pain Philosophy resources.