diclofenac

…intramuscular admin- such as lignocaine and bupivicaine are usually administered to istration of the NSAID diclofenac 20 min beforehand, with regional tissues and thus act locally to inhibit action potentials in a…

…detectible benefits during ring castration + tail tration of local anaesthetic.’ The intramuscular administration of docking. diclofenac 20 min before treatment reduced the cortisol responses to Conclusions The physiological and behavioural responses rubber…

…Preferential uptake of the Software and data repository resources non steroid anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac into inflamed tissues after a There are no software and/or data repository resources. single oral dose…

and systemic absorption of local anaesthetic actives in sheep undergoing routine castration and tail docking, PROCEDURE Randomised, placebo-controlled trials were performed on 8 groups of 6-12 week old lambs (n=8 in each group) undergoing routine castration and tail docking. Surgical castration and hot knife tail docking was performed with and without topical anaesthetic or placebo application, and compared with ring castration and tail docking or handled but unmarked controls. In treated lambs, Tri-Solfen® or placebo gel was applied by spray-on metered dose directly to the tail docked wounds and onto each of the exteriorized spermatic cords (prior to their being severed), as well as to the scrotal sac and cut skin edge immediately post castration. Wound pain was assessed using 10 and 75 gram calibrated Von-Frey monofilaments to determine response to light touch and pain stimulation over a 4 hour period. Pain-related behaviour was assessed by trained observers using a numerical rating scale over a 5 hour period. Wound healing was assessed by veterinary inspection and palpation 14 and 28 days following the procedures. Plasma lignocaine and bupivacaine levels were determined using HPLC from jugular venous blood samples collected at 0, 30, 90 and 120 minutes following the procedures. RESULTS Castration wound pain: Rapid (1min) and prolonged (up to 5 hr) primary hyperalgesia developed in untreated and placebo treated sheep but not in Tri-Solfen treated sheep (p=<0.0001). 8 Tri-Solfen treated Untreated 7 P (75N) STIMULATION OF WOUND RESPONSE SCORE TO Placebo treated 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 pre-op 1 min 2 hours 4 hours Tail docking wound pain; a) Surgical; Primary hyperalgesia (p = 0.02) and primary allodynia (p=0.01) developed post surgical tail docking in untreated and placebo

ensitivity of the Tri-Solfen® formulation with no active anaesthetic or testing, before being returned to their dams and turned out to vasoconstrictor ingredients. The three spray-on gels were pasture. The remaining 239 lambs were weighed, and then each provided from the manufacturer in identical 1 L containers alternate lamb was treated with Tri-Solfen®. Mulesing wounds marked only as A, B or C. After mulesing and wound photography, were photographed prior to application of Tri-Solfen in the first lambs remained in the mulesing cradle for 3 min after which 100 of these lambs. All lambs were treated with Dicyclanil then skin and wound sensitivity scoring was performed. Lambs returned to dams on pasture. Lambs and ewes were re-yarded were then moved in their treatment groups to one of four and drafted 14 and 28 days later. Wounds initially photographed © 2008 The Authors Australian Veterinary Journal Volume 86, No 5, May 2008 161 Journal compilation © 2008 Australian Veterinary Association avj_285.fm Page 162 Thursday, April 17, 2008 5:08 PM PRODUCTION ANIMALS were re-photographed and lambs were weighed then returned to pasture. PRODUCTION ANIMALS Statistical analysis Data were analysed using SPSS version 14.0® (SPSS Inc. Chicago, Illinois). Boxplots were examined and one-way analysis of variance was used to measure the short term effects of treatment groups for which there was a reasonable amount of variation. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine within-subject changes over time. Breech skin sensitivity scores before mulesing were adjusted to account for the lower number of testing sites (5) when used for comparison with post mulesing scores from the direct wound assessment sites (9). The average score per site was calculated prior to

f the improved welfare attitudes and prac- enabled the positive welfare effects of inhibiting wound tices on many Australian farms, but these advances may be nociception by spray-on topical anaesthetic formulation by of benefit to the welfare of numerous global livestock farmers. Importantly, Tri-Solfen has been shown to be safe, populations for a range of painful practices. This “pain man- practical, effective, and is popular with farmers. Inclusion of agement revolution” empowers farmers to reduce the suffer- ing experienced by their animals undergoing aversive a farmer-applied NSAID to ameliorate wound sensitisation husbandry procedures, with markedly enhanced animal wel- is considered a logical additional strategy and is being fare. Importantly, it addresses concerns raised in activist-led encouraged. Furthermore, this multimodal approach avoids campaigns promoting improved welfare of farmed animals the administration by farmers of centrally acting drugs such and is an important market risk management intervention as opiates to modify cognition; this is considered very chal- that could be routinely adopted in the global livestock indus- lenging and even undesirable as it would require greater vet- tries. This work could also provide insights into the use of erinary supervision than is practical and potentially creates this approach in human wound care that could transform food safety concerns. existing practices in interventional pain-relieving In terms of wound pain in humans, most of the literature approaches, benefiting clinical practitioners and, more is focused on general pain and how it impacts patient well- importantly, their patients. being or the detrimental effects of the presence of pain dur- ing dressing changes. This has led to a plethora of

and haemostatic product antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) did not display a significant occur- Tri-Solfen® developed for pain alleviation at mulesing has a prolonged rence of pain-related behaviours in comparison with unmulesed con- duration of action up to 24 h post-treatment. It is hypothesised that trols between 4 and 12 h.15 Thus the use of NSAIDs should be further the combination of local anaesthesia, haemostatic and vasoconstrictor explored and considered as an option for further reducing postopera- action of epinephrine with inhibition of the inflammatory cascade and tive pain. the barrier effect of the gel base of the product may explain the finding of prolonged wound anaesthesia observed in the present study. The technique of wound sensitivity testing over the first 8 h following mulesing with or without treatment with topical anaesthesia has been previously described.13 The results from the present study indicate Acknowledgments that treatment was still effective at 24 h post-mulesing using the same wound pain assessment techniques. Hypersensitivity to LT and pain The financial support of the Australian Research Council, Bayer stimulation evident within the wound and the surrounding areas in Animal Health Australia and Animal Ethics Pty Ltd is gratefully the first minute after mulesing in non-anaesthetised lambs was fol- acknowledged. The authors thank Mr Geoff Moore and staff at ‘Yerilla’ lowed by increased allodynia and primary and secondary hyperalgesia for their technical and logistical support. We greatly appreciate the at 24 h post-mulesing. There was evidence of significant and persist- statistical advice from Dr Peter Thomson from the University of ent wound anaesthesia at 24 h post-mulesing in lambs treated with Sydney. topical

or animals in Study 1. Group Animals (n) Treatment Dose level Dosing Regime 2 mL sterile saline applied on Days 0, 1 and 2 1 8 Placebo - (2 mL per day total) 2 mL Tri-Solfen® applied daily on Days 0, 1 and 2 2 8 Tri-Solfen® 1× (2 mL per day total) 2 mL Tri-Solfen® applied three times at 1 h intervals on Days 0, 1 and 2 3 8 Tri-Solfen® 3× (6 mL per day total) 2 mL Tri-Solfen® applied five times at 1 h intervals on Days 0, 1 and 2 4 8 Tri-Solfen® 5× (10 mL per day total) 2.2.1. Animal Observations Including Wound Assessment Study animals were observed for the first 30 min following each treatment and thence hourly (±15 min) for a minimum of 6 h following the final treatment of each group on each day (0, 1 and 2). Twice daily observations, undertaken by a blinded veterinarian during the morning, continued prior to euthanasia on days 3 or 4. Observations included: general behaviour and demeanour, evaluation of any appetite change, ambulation, faecal consistency and colour, skin condition, ocular and nasal discharge, and any neurologic or cardiorespiratory signs that may be indicative of an adverse drug reaction. Bodyweights of animals were measured at day −4, and prior to euthanasia. Daily feed and water intake were also assessed on an individual animal basis once daily. During each veterinary examination, disbudding wounds were examined for the pres- ence of oedema, erythema, discharge, alopecia and flaking of skin on the area surrounding the cauterised wound. In addition, all application sites were photographed on the day of necropsy. 2.2.2. Blood Sampling and Analysis Blood specimens were collected from the jugular vein of carefully restrained calves at the following time points: day −4, day 0, and prior to euthanasia. Blood samples were collected by

CSIRO PUBLISHING Animal Production Science http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/AN14012 Evaluating the efficacy of a topical anaesthetic formulation and ketoprofen, alone and in combination, on the pain sensitivity of dehorning wounds in Holstein-Friesian calves Crystal A. Espinoza A, Dominique McCarthy A, Peter J. White A, Peter A. Windsor A and Sabrina H. Lomax A,B A Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. B Corresponding author. Email: sabrina.lomax@sydney.edu.au Abstract. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a topically applied local anaesthetic and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ketoprofen, alone and in combination, on the pain sensitivity response of calves to dehorning (mean age 2.2 months). Calves were randomly allocated and blocked by age to one of four groups. Groups were: scoop dehorning (D, n = 8), scoop dehorning + i.m. administration of 3 mg/kg ketoprofen (DK, n = 8), scoop dehorning + application of topical anaesthetic (DTA, n = 7) and scoop dehorning + application of topical anaesthetic and i.m. administration of ketoprofen (DKTA, n = 7). A pressure algometer was used to determine the mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT), being the pressure (kg/f) at which calves withdrew from the stimulus. Measurements were taken before dehorning and at 1 min, 1, 2, 5 and 24 h post-dehorning at both the cut skin edge of the wound and the peri-wound area. The effect of treatment changed over time (P < 0.001). MNT was highest before treatment (MNT = 5.03 kg/f) and tended to decrease over time (MNT = 1.16 kg/f 24 h post-treatment). Overall, D calves exhibited the lowest MNT with an average of 1.77 kg/f. DTA calves had the highest MNT (3.89 kg/f), followed closely by DKTA calves (3.24 kg/f). DK calves exhibited an

nt than in the current mulesing debate that has put the Australian wool market under intense scrutiny by international importers. The growing pressure to select wool from unmulesed sheep has led to an industry push to phase out the procedure by 2010 should a viable solution not be found. Although the ideal long-term solution is to develop painless alternatives to such procedures, this will not happen. In the interim, the development of effective methods of pain alleviation that are practical, affordable, and applicable to farming operations is essential to reduce suffering while an alternative is pursued. Our group has been conducting studies over the past 2 years on the application of a spray-on topical anesthetic formulation, Tri-Solfen®, to the wounds inflicted by mulesing, castration, and tail docking. We have assessed wound sensitivity using Von Frey Hair stimulation, mea- suring local involuntary reflexes, and central cognition. These responses were graded using a numerical rating scale. Observation of behavioral responses to pain was also conducted, along with a novel technique to assess wound healing that involved digital photography and computerized surface area measurement. Findings indicate that the application of Tri-Solfen® to mulesing, castration, and tail docking wounds significantly reduced the pain experienced postproce- dure and improved the rate of wound healing in mulesing wounds. Correspondence should be sent to Sabrina Lomax, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, 48a Alfred Street, Saint Peters, New South Wales, Australia 2044. Email: s.lomax@ usyd.edu.au