A quick reference to pertinent physiologic and pharmacologic information related to the drugs and alternative therapeutic modalities used to treat pain in cats, dogs, and horses. The handbook also provides case examples that illustrate to veterinary students and interns how to understand, evaluate, and treat pain. Topics include opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, local anesthetic techniques, and chronic pain management. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

The ethics of pain management -- Physiology and pathophysiology of pain -- Pain and stress -- Definitions of terms describing pain -- Pain behaviors -- Objective, catgegoric methods for assessing pain and analgesia -- Pharmacologic prinicples and pain: pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics -- Drugs used to treat pain -- Opioids -- Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs -- cx2-Agonists -- Local anesthetics -- Glucocorticoids -- Other drugs used to treat pain -- Local and regional anesthetic techniques for alleviation of perioperative pain -- Complementary and alternative (integrative) pain therapy -- Choosing and administering the right analgesic therapy -- Acute pain management: a case-based approach -- Chronic pain management: a case-based approach -- Drug antagonism and antagonists -- Cancer pain management -- Pain management in the horse.