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Adequate pain control should be one of the main objectives of the veterinary practitioner, aiming at improving the quality of life, response to therapy and survival time of their patients; despite this, in Italy, some relatively recent studies have shown that analgesics are still poorly used in general veterinary practice, especially with certain species. The reduced use of analgesic protocols by veterinarians is attributable to the lack of a thorough knowledge about the neurophysiology of pain, the latter clinical consequences, and the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodinamic characteristics of analgesics, as well as the fear of potential side effects of these drugs, the limited number of available and recorded molecules as analgesics, and most importantly the difficulty of recognizing the presence of painful states and the determination of its intensity in non verbalizing individuals. Currently, a universally recognized system does not exist for assessing pain in animals. Various strategies have been proposed both experimentally and in the clinical practice in an attempt to identify objective measures that can assess acute and chronic pain in dogs and cats. The latter include; observation and recording of physiological, neuroendocrine, metabolic and locomotor responses to pain. However, these measures alone are not good indicators of a painful condition as they are influenced by many factors concomitant to pain. An alternative/complementary approach for the assessment of pain in animals is the use of pain scales, especially multiparametric scales which take into account the effects of verbal and physical interactions between the animal, the observer and the surrounding environment, possibly accompanying an assessment of the physiological changes taking place. Unfortunately, even the latter presents several shortcomings. Primarily, the execution of pain therapy in veterinary medicine is limited due to the lack of a unique and universal diagnostic method capable of assessing pain in animals, and thus the resulting difficulties in recognizing and quantifying the presence and classifying the origin of pain (as patients are non verbalizing unlike in the human medicine field, especially in those cases of persistent or neuropathic pain, in which causes are difficult to pinpoint). The degree of difficulty in recognizing the presence of pain makes it very complicated to perform a pathogenetic diagnosis and the further application of specific treatment protocols which are appropriate to the type of pain. To this date, we have existent International Organizations that deal specifically with animal pain such as the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) in the United States, and a working group of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) - the Special Interest Group in Pain Management in Non-Human Species - in Europe. In Italy, research groups or associations that deal specifically with the subject matter have never been created, although research projects on various issues related to pain have begun to be proposed, demonstrating an increased sensitivity and interest toward this subject. Based on the above stated, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia has instituted the Study Center on Animal Pain (CeSDA – Centro di Studio sul Dolore Animale), with research and training purposes. The center involves many Professors of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (since pain is a multidisciplinary subject we tried to cover all major areas inherent to the topic) and of Human Medicine (given that there are many similarities between non-verbalizing patients in the two fields); we considered appropriate to have a good collaboration between the two Faculties, as well as collaborating freelancers (Vets self-employed or other professional experts in issues related to pain).
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AIMS The main objectives of the CeSDA are to standardize and coordinate scientific projects, as well as cultural and teaching activities in the field of animal pain related problems, such as:
- to promote and coordinate research activities, both theoretical and practical, inherent to pain recognition (looking for the most appropriate protocol available in pain semiology), and on the treatment of a range of algic conditions in different species, in order to improve their health and life quality;
- to coordinate, in a finalized manner, research and information activities among the participants;
- to enhance the exchange of information and material among field-related researchers, working in collaboration with other institutions, national and foreign research centres and public and private laboratories, within species-specific projects;
- to implement and finalize a collaboration network among the professionals working in pain research and teaching, taking into account other Faculties expertise;
- to promote interdisciplinary round tables to discuss pain related topics;
- to indicate and furnish the most appropriate methodological and scientific tools to be used in the fields of research, teaching and clinical assistant activities;
- to promote multidisciplinary courses, professional training and seminar activity for health operators that are working in the algology field, as to increase their sense of responsibility towards animals.
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CeSDA PROPOSAL
The CeSDA is a Centre of Study that aims to implement research and training in the field of animal pain. The proposals planned for the next months are briefly described, as follows:
TRAINING
Organization of Seminars on the principles of pain medicine to be addressed to undergraduate students in Veterinary Medicine (aim: introductory for students).
Organization of basic theoretical courses on animal pain physiopathology, semeiotic and therapy to be addressed to Veterinary Consultants (aim: operator training).
Organization of advanced theoretical-practical courses on animal pain medicine to be addressed to Veterinary Consultants (aim: operator training).
Institution of a University Master Science Course on animal pain therapy with fundamental of behaviour medicine.
Organization of satellite symposiums in occasion of Congress centred on human pain (for instance SICD and AISD) (aim: to individuate possible overlapping fields of common application in veterinary and human medicine).
RESEARCH
Organization of a symposium where researchers belonging to different Italian Faculties of Veterinary Medicine are invited to report on the research results obtained in projects on animal pain. Researchers are also invited to report their competencies in the different field of application related to the animal pain therapy (aim: assessment of the state of art in Italy, knowledge sharing and comparison, creating a network for planning future collaboration projects).
DIVULGATION
Production of a yearly or six-month newsletter to report a summary of the planned activities, as well as useful information and news related to the aims of the CeSDA. This will be sent to all the public and private institutions working or interested in animal pain related fields.
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MEMBERS OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMETTEE
Pr. Giorgia della Rocca (Scientific Director): Dip. di Patologia, Diagnostica e Clinica Veterinaria, Sez. di Scienze Sperimentali e Biotecnologie Applicate
Pr. Antonello Bufalari (Vice Scientific Director): Dip. di Patologia, Diagnostica e Clinica Veterinaria, Sez. di Chirurgia
Pr. Gabriele Fruganti: Dip. di Patologia, Diagnostica e Clinica Veterinaria, Sez. di Medicina Interna
Dr. Maria Beatrice Conti : Dip. di Patologia, Diagnostica e Clinica Veterinaria, Sez. di Medicina Interna
Pr. Franco Moriconi: Dip. di Patologia, Diagnostica e Clinica Veterinaria, Sez. di Chirurgia
Dr. Sara Nannarone: Dip. di Patologia, Diagnostica e Clinica Veterinaria, Sez. di Chirurgia
Pr. Luca Mechelli: Dip. di Scienze Biopatologiche ed Igiene delle Produzioni Animali e Alimentari, Sez. di Patologia e Igiene Veterinaria
Pr. Maria Teresa Mandara: Dip. di Scienze Biopatologiche ed Igiene delle Produzioni Animali e Alimentari, Sez. di Patologia e Igiene Veterinaria
Pr. Silvana Diverio: Dip. di Scienze Biopatologiche ed Igiene delle Produzioni Animali, Sez. di Fisiologia Veterinaria
Pr. Stefano Coaccioli: Dip. di Medicina Interna, Sezione Clinica Medica Generale e Terapia Medica, Segretario dell'Associazione Nazionale per lo Studio del Dolore (AISD).
Pr. Carlo Riccardi: Dip. di Medicina Clinica Sperimentale, sez. di Farmacologia, Tossicologia e Chemioterapia
MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZING COMMITEE
Dr. Emilio Feltri: Libero Professionista anestesista (vet.), Tortona (Alessandria)
Dr. Federico Corletto: Libero Professionista anestesista (vet.), Cambridge, UK
Dr. Adriano Lachin: Libero Professionista anestesista (vet.), Mestre (Venezia)
Dr. Bruto Cherubini: Libero professionista neurologo (vet), Cambridge, UK
Dr. Guido Orlandini: Algologo - Presidente SICD (med.), Azienda Ospedaliera di Tortona (Alessandria)
Dr. Ilaria Capolsini: Onco-ematologia pediatrica (med.), Azienda Ospedaliera Perugia
Pr. Giancarlo Di Renzo: Perinatologo (med.), Dip. di Specialità Medico-Chirurgiche e Sanità Pubblica, Sez. di Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologia
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1st CeSDA TRAINIG COURSE ON PAIN MANAGEMENT IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS
1st MEETING: PAIN IN ANIMALS: from physiopathology to therapeutic principles
PERUGIA (ITALY), 19-20 June 2010, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria
The course is in italian language.
Programma - Brochure - Locandina e scheda di iscrizione
SUBSEQUENT PLANNED MEETING
2nd meeting: pain therapy in dogs and cats
3rd meeting: pain therapy in hors and in farm species
4thmeeting: pain therapy in non conventional and in laboratory animals
5th meeting: persistent and cronic pain in animals
6th meeting: complementary medicine and integrative therapies for pain management in companion animals
7th meeting: pain in animals: ethic considerations
8th meeting: loco-regional analgesia tecniques in domestic animals: theoric-pratic course
JOINT SYMPOSIUM AISD-CeSDA - FIRENZE, 23-25 May 2010
Session title: "Pain in non verbalizing patient"
JOINT SYMPOSIUM AISD-CeSDA - SILVI MARINA (TE), 28-30 May 2009
Session title: "Pain in non verbalizing patient"
JOINT SYMPOSIUM SICD-CeSDA, FIRENZE, 19-21 November 2009
Session title: "When the patient doesn't talk"
COURSE FOR UNDERGRADUATED STUDENTS: "PHARMACOLOGIC BASES FOR PAIN THERAPY IN ANIMALS"
The course is in italian language.
UNIVERSITY MASTER ON "Pain management in animals with elements of behavioural veterinary medicine" - 2009/2010
Under the auspices of IVAPM
Not activated because we did not reach the minimum number of attendants required