B Duncan X Lascelles

• BSc BVSc PhD
• Professor at North Carolina State University

Introduction Continuous product monitoring post approval builds on the knowledge gained during clinical studies to aid in understanding a product’s safety and efficacy profile. Pharmacovigilance reporting of a medicinal product might be influenced by several factors including duration in the market, geographical region and veterinary practices. The...

A common complication of therapeutic radiotherapy for head and neck cancer is the development of severe pain. The biological mechanisms underlying acute orofacial radiation-associated pain (RAP) are unknown but may involve cold-sensing and cold-signaling pathways. A key cold receptor is TRPM8 (Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin family member 8...

Background Accelerometry can be used to measure physical activity and is a validated objective measure for evaluating the impact of osteoarthritis (OA) pain in companion animals. However, several factors other than OA pain can affect physical activity in dogs, and relatively little is understood about their influence. Functional linear modeling (FL...

Objective To investigate potentially novel and modifiable mechanisms of the effects of gut microbiome composition on obesity-related osteoarthritis (OA), focusing on cross-sectional relationships between microbiota, cytokines, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Design Johnston County OA Project participants (n = 64) with (cases) and without (controls)...

Introduction Degenerative joint disease (DJD) occurs very commonly in cats and can be associated with pain. Almost 70% of cats with DJD-associated pain suffer the co-morbidity of chronic kidney disease (CKD). There are currently very limited treatment or management options. A greater understanding of the systems biology of DJD, DJD-associated pain,...

Introduction With little to no regulation of the supplement markets and a paucity of quality information regarding clinical utility of individual marketed supplements, it is difficult for veterinarians to provide any evidence-based recommendations to owners. The current study aimed to provide clinically useful comparative efficacy data on certain m...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate nonsurgical management outcomes of cleft palate (CP) in dogs and identify any association between cleft size, prevalence of clinical signs, and quality of life (QoL). METHODS 65 dogs treated conservatively for CP from January 2006 through December 2023 were retrospectively identified. Diet, activity, medical history, and QoL...

Objective The purpose of this study was to enhance the current knowledge of the relationship between the gut microbiome and osteoarthritis (OA) and associated pain using pet dogs as a clinically relevant translational model. Methods Fecal samples were collected from 93 owned pet dogs. Dogs were designated as either clinically healthy or OA pain us...

Cultural transmission of breed-specific beliefs about canine pain sensitivity occurs during veterinary education and training. However, breed-specific beliefs held by veterinarians do not align well with experimental measures of pain observed across dog breeds and are unlikely to be helpful in clinical decision making. The aim of the present study...

Practical relevance Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used and are effective for the management of pain in cats. These Guidelines will support veterinarians in decision-making around prescribing NSAIDs in situations of chronic pain, to minimise adverse effects and optimise pain management. Information is provided on mechanis...

Ketamine is an injectable anesthetic agent with analgesic and antidepressant effects that can prevent maladaptive pain. Ketamine is metabolized by the liver into norketamine, an active metabolite. Prior rodent studies have suggested that norketamine is thought to contribute up to 30% of ketamine's analgesic effect. Ketamine is usually administered...

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) and associated clinical signs in young dogs. Owners of dogs aged 8 months–4 years from a single practice, were contacted in random order, to participate in a general health screen. Clinical and orthopedic examinations were performed. Each joint was scored for pain reactions (0–4)....

Bone injuries such as fractures are one major cause of morbidities worldwide. A considerable number of fractures suffer from delayed healing, and the unresolved acute pain may transition to chronic and maladaptive pain. Current management of pain involves treatment with NSAIDs and opioids with substantial adverse effects. Herein, we tested the hypo...

Dog breed stereotypes are frequently used to inform people’s expectations about canine behavior, despite evidence that breed is largely uninformative in predicting individual dog behavior. Further, these beliefs differ among populations. However, it remains unknown how ratings of warmth toward a breed are associated with ratings of other social beh...

Over 95% of veterinarians report believing that dog breeds differ in pain sensitivity. Ratings made by veterinarians differ from those of the general public, suggesting these beliefs may be learned during veterinary training or clinical experiences. Therefore, the current study’s primary objective was to evaluate dog breed pain sensitivity ratings...

This report describes consensus guidelines and recommendations for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis (OA) according to the “Canine OsteoArthritis Staging Tool excluding radiography” (COASTeR) stage of OA, by the COAST Development Group. The recommendations are based on evidence-based medicine and clinical experience and are proposed with inter...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1033188.].

Background: Veterinarians hold distinct breed-specific pain sensitivity beliefs that differ from the general public but are highly consistent with one another. This is remarkable as there is no current scientific evidence for biological differences in pain sensitivity across dog breeds. Therefore, the present study evaluated whether pain sensitivi...

Introduction: Patients developing acute radiotherapy induced dermatitis or oral mucositis commonly experience pain. When severe, this radiotherapy-associated pain (RAP) can necessitate treatment breaks; unfortunately, in a variety of cancers, prolongation of the radiotherapy course has been associated with early cancer relapse and/or death. This i...

Gastroduodenal ulceration and perforation constitute an increasingly recognized cause of morbidity and mortality in dogs, although reports of prevalence of canine ulcerative disease overall or prevalence in specific canine subpopulations, such as those taking nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are lacking. Gastric perforation is a sever...

Maintaining an active lifestyle is considered a hallmark of successful aging. Physical activity significantly reduces the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease in humans. However, pain and lack of motivation are important barriers to exercise. Dogs are a remarkable model for translational studies in aging and cognition as they are prone...

Client-reported outcomes measures (CROMs) have been previously validated for the evaluation of canine osteoarthritis. A published systematic review indicated that the ‘Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs’ (LOAD) and the ‘Canine Orthopedic Index’ (COI) can be recommended for use in dogs with osteoarthritis; these CROMs have also been used in the contex...

Introduction Glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate are commonly used in dogs with OA, but evidence around efficacy is mixed. This study evaluated the effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, marine based fatty acid compounds (PCSO-524 and EAB-277), and carprofen for the alleviation of canine hip OA pain. This was a prospect...

Objective: To explore relationships between 9-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) output and activities of varying intensity in dogs of various sizes. Animals: 20 healthy, agility course-trained dogs of various ages and sizes. Procedures: Height, weight, body condition score, age, length from IMU to the ischium, and height of IMU to the floor...

Relatively little work has evaluated both the disease of osteoarthritis (OA) and clinically-relevant pain outcome measures across different OA models in rats. The objective of this study was to compare sensitivity, pain, and histological disease severity across chemical and surgical models of OA in the rat. Stifle OA was induced in Sprague–Dawley r...

Poster presented at the ESVN-ECVN 34th Symposium. Mallorca Spain, September 2022

Background Accelerometry has been used to evaluate activity in dogs with osteoarthritis (OA) pain, especially in relation to effect of treatment; however no studies have compared accelerometry-measured activity in dogs with OA-pain and healthy dogs. The aims of this study were to (1) compare activity output from the PetPace collar with the validate...

The use of spontaneous painful disease in companion pet animals has been highlighted as one of the changes that could be made to help improve translation of basic science to new therapeutics, acting as a bridge between preclinical and clinical studies, with the goal of accelerating the approval of new therapeutics. This review focuses on the utilit...

Aging is associated with impairment in postural control in humans. While dogs are a powerful model for the study of aging, the associations between age and postural control in this species have not yet been elucidated. The aims of this work were to establish a reliable protocol to measure center of pressure excursions in standing dogs and to determ...

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a potential target for osteoarthritis (OA) treatment. In several recent clinical studies in human OA, anti-TNF-α therapy showed promising results; however, these were open-label and based on patient-reported outcome measures. In this study, we developed a caninized TNF-α receptor-Fc (caTNFR-Fc) fusion protein and...

Objective: To report indications, complications, and long-term outcomes following feline total hip replacement (THR) using a client-based clinical metrology questionnaire, the Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index (FMPI), and owner satisfaction. Study design: Multi-institutional retrospective cohort study. Animals: Cats (n = 44) that underwent THR...

Skeletal injuries are a major cause of morbidities worldwide with bone fractures accounting for a substantial portion. Patients suffering from bone fractures and undergoing surgery experience different levels of pain throughout the healing process requiring pain-mitigating interventions. Furthermore, a considerable number of bone fractures suffer f...

The center of mass (CoM) is the location in a body where mass distribution is balanced. It has a fundamental role in balance and motion which has been poorly described in the dog. The objective of this study was to estimate the variance of the center of mass (CoM) in a heterogeneous population of client-owned dogs and to describe the relationship b...

These updated guidelines present a practical and logical approach to the assessment and management of acute and chronic pain in canine and feline patients. Recognizing pain is fundamental to successful treatment, and diagnostic guides and algorithms are included for assessment of both acute and chronic pain. Particularly for chronic pain, capturing...

The purpose of this bi‐institutional retrospective study was to determine whether, in dogs treated with limb amputation and adjunctive chemotherapy for osteosarcoma, oncologic outcomes are impacted by either: (1) baseline cancer pain severity, or (2) the approaches used for perioperative pain management. Data were extracted from the medical records...

The surgical oncologist plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of cats and dogs with oral tumors. Oral tumors will include tumors involving the mandible, maxilla, palate, and tongue. Surgical excision is the most commonly used modality for treatment of the local oral tumor. The most common malignant tumors of the mandible and...

Osteoarthritis (OA) associated pain (OA-pain) is a significant global problem. OA-pain limits limb use and mobility and is associated with widespread sensitivity. Therapeutic options are limited, and the available options are often associated with adverse effects. The lack of therapeutic options is partly due to a lack of understanding of clinicall...

Aging is associated with changes in the sensory-motor system that could lead to dynamic instability. In fact, postural control deficit has been proposed as an early indicator of frailty. Measurements of the displacement of the center of pressure (COP) using pressure mats are useful tools to determine postural steadiness. Companion dogs represent a...

Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pain-alleviating and activity-enhancing effects of glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate (Dasuquin) in cats that had degenerative joint disease (DJD) and owner-noted mobility/activity impairment. We hypothesized that the nutritional supplement would produce pain-relieving and activity-enhancing eff...

Background Frunevetmab, a felinized antinerve growth factor monoclonal antibody, effectively decreases osteoarthritis (OA) pain in cats. Objective To evaluate the efficacy of frunevetmab given at monthly intervals in a randomized, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group, double‐blind superiority study. Animals Two hundred seventy‐five client‐owned cat...

Articular cartilage has unique load-bearing properties but has minimal capacity for intrinsic repair. Here, we used three-dimensional weaving, additive manufacturing, and autologous mesenchymal stem cells to create a tissue-engineered, bicomponent implant to restore hip function in a canine hip osteoarthritis model. This resorbable implant was spec...

Feline oral squamous cell carcinoma (FOSCC) is a common and naturally occurring condition that recapitulates many features of human head and neck cancer (HNC). In both species, there is need for improved strategies to reduce pain caused by HNC and its treatment. Research to benefit both species could be conducted using pet cats as a comparative mod...

Signal transduction at sensory neurons occurs via transmembrane flux of cations, which is largely governed by the transient receptor potential (TRP) family of ion channels. It is unknown whether TRP channel activation contributes to the pain that accompanies radiation-induced oral mucositis. This study sought to characterize changes in TRP channel...

Background Evaluate the clinical safety of robenacoxib in cats with chronic musculoskeletal disease (CMSD). Animals Four hundred forty‐nine client‐owned cats with CMSD. Methods Pooled analysis of safety variables from 4 prospective randomized blinded clinical trials of robenacoxib (n = 222) versus placebo (n = 227), administered orally once daily...

Background: This study aimed to define the rate of progression of radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) of the canine hip joint and to describe factors affecting this progression. Methods: Dogs that underwent unilateral total hip replacement (THR) were reviewed for the evaluation of radiographic appearance of the non-operated hip joint over time. Sta...

Background: Pain management for cats with degenerative joint disease (DJD) remains a critical unmet need. Recent work has shown promise for a feline-specific anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibody (frunevetmab) to deliver safe and effective pain management. Our objectives were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of frunevetmab administered tw...

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and responsiveness of the Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index (FMPI) using the collective results of multiple clinical studies and iteratively refine the FMPI for future use. Methods Data were compiled from previously conducted studies involving client-owned cats with degenerative j...

The main objective of this pilot clinical trial was to evaluate outcome measures for the assessment of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) robenacoxib in cats with degenerative joint disease-associated pain (DJD-pain). Otherwise healthy cats (n = 109) with DJD-pain entered a parallel group, randomized, blinded clinical trial. Cats recei...

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition often associated with pain, affecting approximately fourteen percent of the population, and increasing in prevalence. A globally aging population have made treating OA-associated pain as well as maintaining mobility and activity a public health priority. OA affects all mammals, and the use of spontaneous a...

Osteoarthritis (OA) pain is associated with peripheral and central sensitization in humans and results in widespread increased sensitivity across the body. Sensitization contributes to the OA-associated pain (OAP) state. We recently identified increased levels of an endogenous neurotrophic factor, artemin (ARTN), in dogs with OAP compared to health...

Radiation‐induced acute oral mucositis is associated with inflammation and pain. In other realms of pain research, nociceptors are known to be activated by inflammatory cytokines; for example, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) can activate transient receptor potential ion channels on sensory neurons. But there is an unclear relationship between i...

The study of companion (pet) dogs is an area of great translational potential, as they share a risk for many conditions that afflict humans. Among these are conditions that affect sleep, including chronic pain and cognitive dysfunction. Significant advancements have occurred in the ability to study sleep in dogs, including development of non-invasi...

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Osteoarthritis associated pain (OA-pain) is a significant global problem. OA-pain limits limb use and mobility, and is associated with widespread sensitivity. Therapeutic options are limited, and the ones that are available are often associated with side or adverse effects. The lack of therapeutic options is partly due to a lack of understanding of...

An 8 yr old male castrated hound presented for a left distal ulnar osteosarcoma. Staging (computed tomography and nuclear scintigraphy) did not reveal any metastases. A limb-sparing ulnectomy with local adjunctive carboplatin in a poloxamer copolymer gel (poloxamer 407) was performed. The patient recovered without complications after surgery. No wo...

Purpose To explore the effects of chronic, uncontrolled glaucoma on pressure sensitivity in dogs before and after enucleation of the painful globe. Methods Client‐owned dogs undergoing enucleation for chronic glaucoma with no other sources of pain were enrolled. Normal dogs of similar breeds and skull morphology were enrolled as controls. Craniofa...

Objective To compare quality of life (QOL) and activity measures between healthy control cats and cats with subclinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and to evaluate the effect of oral atenolol therapy on QOL, activity, and circulating biomarkers in cats with subclinical HCM. Animals. Thirty-two client-owned cats with subclinical HCM and 27 he...

Objective: To develop methods to identify and characterize activity monitor (AM) data signatures for jumps performed by cats. Animals: 13 healthy, client-owned cats without evidence of osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease. Procedures: Each cat was fitted with the same AM, individually placed in an observation room, then simultaneously...

Objectives The aim of this study was to develop an evidence-based, clinically expedient checklist to identify cats likely to have degenerative joint disease (DJD)-associated pain. Methods Data were compiled from previously conducted studies that employed a standardized subjective outcome measure consisting of a series of questions. These studies i...

en This is the fourth Capsule review article provided by the WSAVA Global Pain Council and which discusses the use of ice or cold therapy as a non‐pharmacologic modality for pain control in small animal practice. The physiological effects of cold therapy on tissues, receptors and ion channels are discussed; as well as indications, recommendations f...

Arthritis, including osteoarthritis (OA) and other musculoskeletal-associated pain, is a worldwide problem, however, effective drug options are limited. Several receptors, neurotransmitters, and endogenous mediators have been identified in rodent models, but the relevance of these molecules in disease-associated pain is not always clear. Artemin, a...

The purpose of this bi‐institutional retrospective study was to determine whether survival for dogs with extremity osteosarcoma is improved through the use of stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT; a single fraction of 25 Gy, or 36 Gy total given in 3 consecutive daily fractions) plus chemotherapy, versus lower dose conventionally planned and delivered hy...

Modern health care has brought our society innumerable benefits but has also introduced the experience of pain very early in life. For example, it is now routine care for newborns to receive various injections or have blood drawn within 24 h of life. For infants who are sick or premature, the pain experiences inherent in the required medical care a...

Endogenous Pain Modulation (EPM) impairment is a significant contributor to chronic pain. Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) testing assesses EPM function. Osteoarthritic (OA) dogs are good translational models, but CPM has not been explored. Our aim was to assess EPM impairment in OA dogs compared to controls using CPM. We hypothesized that CPM tes...

The objective of this study was to explore the mathematical relationships between independent variables (patient morphometrics and treadmill speed) and dependent variables (accelerometer or pedometer output) when evaluating data from accelerometers and pedometers in dogs. Twenty dogs took part in 3 randomized activities, consisting of exercise on a...

Radiation-induced dermatitis (RID) is a common and painful complication of radiotherapy. When severe, radiation-associated pain (RAP) can reduce the efficacy of radiotherapy by limiting the radiation dose given, and/or necessitating breaks in treatment. Current RAP mitigation strategies are of limited efficacy. Our long-term goal is to develop a co...

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association Global Pain Council (WSAVA-GPC) has recently published its first "capsule review" by Monteiro et al. These are short articles that present a brief assessment of the scientific evidence and practical recommendations on important, and sometimes controversial, subjects in pain management. The capsules will...

Background NSAIDs are accepted as the most predictably efficacious medical treatment of the clinical signs of osteoarthritis (OA). The marine-based fatty-acid compound PCSO-524 has been proposed as an adjunctive treatment for canine OA, however benefits of this agent is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the...

In humans, pain due to osteoarthritis has been demonstrated to be associated with insomnia and sleep disturbances that affect perception of pain, productivity, and quality of life. Dogs, which develop spontaneous osteoarthritis and represent an increasingly used model for human osteoarthritis, would be expected to show similar sleep disturbances. F...

Since William Coley utilized bacterial immunotherapy to treat sarcomas in the late nineteenth century, an association between infection and improved survival has been reported for human and canine osteosarcoma patients. One of the reasons for this improved survival is likely a reactivation of the host immune system towards an inflammatory anti‐tumo...

Background: Joint pain is composed of both spontaneous and movement-induced pain. In animal models, static bodyweight distribution is a surrogate for spontaneous joint pain. However, there are no commercially-available instruments that measure static bodyweight distribution in normal, pronograde rodents. New method: We designed a Static Horizont...

This is the first of a series of capsule reviews published by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association ‐ Global Pain Council (WSAVA‐GPC). Each of these short articles provides a brisk assessment of the scientific evidence in specific aspects of pain management, including analgesic techniques, recommendations and controversies surrounding their...

Objective: To describe clinically relevant, physiological measurements collected during a 3 hour duration of alfaxalone total intravenous anaesthesia. Study design: Case series. Animals: A total of 112 client-owned middle-aged or older dogs. Methods: Dogs were premedicated with intramuscular acepromazine (0.03 mg kg-1). Anaesthesia was induc...

Degenerative joint disease (DJD) associated-pain is a clinically relevant and common condition affecting domesticated cats and other species including humans. Identification of the neurobiological signature of pain is well developed in rodent pain models, however such information is lacking from animals or humans with naturally occurring painful co...

Evaluation of the response to externally applied physical stimuli, such as pressure, heat, or cold is termed quantitative sensory testing (QST). QST may be used to identify and quantify alterations (gain or loss) in function of the sensory systems which detect and mediate these phenomena in both man and animals, and potentially discriminate periphe...

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is essential for the survival of sensory and sympathetic neurons during development. However, in the adult, NGF and its interaction with tropomyosin receptor kinase A receptor (TrkA) has been found to play a critical role in nociception and nervous system plasticity in pain conditions. Thus, various monoclonal antibody (mA...

Background Gabapentin is the most commonly prescribed medication for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain in cats. Despite this common and chronic usage, clinically relevant pharmacokinetic data is lacking. Objectives To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of clinically relevant dosing regimens of gabapentin in cats. Animals Eight research‐pur...

Background Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) suffer pain associated with Chiari‐like malformation and syringomyelia (CMSM). People suffer from a similar condition and describe numerous sensory abnormalities. Sensory changes have not been quantified in affected CKCS. Objectives To use quantitative sensory testing (QST) to quantify thermal and m...

Objective To evaluate the effects of nanoparticle hyperthermia therapy on monocyte function and tumor‐derived factors associated with macrophage polarization in a murine osteosarcoma model. Study design Experimental study. Animals Female C3H mice. Methods Peripheral blood monocyte cell surface phenotype, monocyte chemotaxis, tumor messenger RNA...

Objectives: Despite the high prevalence and increasing awareness of chronic musculoskeletal pain in cats, approved treatment options are completely lacking in the USA, and few other options have sufficient safety and efficacy data. Knowledge of current prescribing practices should inform future research of putative therapies. We aimed to determine...

Environmental enrichment is critical for alleviating stress in laboratory felines. However, there is a paucity of information about suitable enrichment for cats. This study aimed to determine preferred enrichment options of individually-housed, castrated male domestic short hair cats (Felis catus) used in a longitudinal study of the effects of chro...

In man, central sensitisation (CS) contributes to the pain of osteoarthritis (OA). Dogs with spontaneous OA may also exhibit CS. Electrophysiological reflex measurements are more objective than behavioural assessments, and can be used to evaluate CS in preclinical and clinical studies. It was hypothesised that dogs suffering from OA would exhibit e...