The idea that animals are sentient creatures is not new, in fact, it dates back to the Renaissance period. What is new, is the idea that animals can experience pain and suffering. It was not until the 1980s that veterinarians in the United States were trained that animals can indeed feel pain.
Since the idea of animal pain and suffering is relatively new, there hasn’t been a long history of pain medication for animals. This field is rapidly expanding as research and clinical experience continue to evolve.
Some of the more common pharmaceuticals used in animals include analgesics (for managing pain), antibiotics (antimicrobials), anti-inflammatories and anaesthetics. These make up the largest categories of animal medications.
In Canada, the most common analgesics in animals and people are NSAIDs. The three analgesics for cattle include ketoprofen, flunixin, and meloxicam, which was introduced for use in cattle in Canada in 2009.
In 2013, the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle was introduced. It requires producers, along with their veterinarian, to mitigate pain associated with dehorning after horn-bud attachment to the skull ( two to three months of age) and when castrating bulls older than nine months of age. As of January 1, 2018, pain control was required when castrating bulls older than six months of age.
Mitigating pain in your herd is both practical and cost-effective. When used during painful procedures, like branding and castration, recovery time is shortened.
