WSAVA launches Global Pain Council
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has launched a Global Pain Council (GPC) to raise the standard of pain management in small animals.
The Council, which includes three prominent British veterinary surgeons, aims to develop easily accessible practical guidelines on pain management and medication for veterinary staff, and to create a CE programme which can be rolled out around the world.
The Global Pain Council has been set up in response to challenges faced by the profession in diagnosing and managing pain in small animals and because of the unavailability of various analgesic agents around the world.
During 2012, the Council will conduct research into existing pain assessment and management procedures throughout the world. Based on this, in early 2013, it will produce a ‘Global Pain Treatise,’ for veterinarians around the world. The Treatise will provide a comprehensive resource on pain management and will be designed to be of daily clinical relevance. Later in 2013, pain management CE programmes will be developed and rolled out globally.
The British veterinary surgeon members are:
- Dr Duncan Lascelles, Professor of Small Animal Surgery at the University of North Carolina, USA. Duncan, who qualified at the University of Bristol Veterinary School, is a researcher and author on pain management issues.
- Dr Andrea Nolan, Professor of Veterinary Pharmacology and Senior Vice-Principal at the University of Glasgow. Andrea also researches the area of pain assessment and management.
- Dr Sheilah Robertson, who qualified at the University of Bristol Veterinary School. She is now Assistant Director of Animal Welfare for the American Veterinary Medical Association and a specialist in feline pain management.
Commenting on the creation of the Global Pain Council, its Chair, Dr Karol Mathews, Professor Emerita of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College, said: “Assessing and managing small animal pain is an issue of global significance. Pain accompanies many of the common ailments affecting these animals but its treatment has not kept pace with its incidence, leading to what we believe to be a ‘treatment gap’.”
WSAVA President Professor Jolle Kirpensteijn added: “The Global Pain Council will help us to raise awareness of the importance of pain management and to deliver on our vision of an empowered, motivated and unified profession, which effectively recognises and minimises the prevalence and impact of pain.”
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
