Analgesia

Current practices of pain assessment and analgesic use in laboratory mice: A 2022 FELASA Working Group survey

Assessing and alleviating pain in animals involved in research is critically important. However, the effective implementation of pain management depends on the knowledge and attitudes of the personnel involved. Following a Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations ‘Pain in...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Analgesia, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gomez de Segura, I. A., Seeldrayers, S., Flecknell, P. 2025. Current practices of pain assessment and analgesic use in laboratory mice: A 2022 FELASA Working Group survey. Laboratory Animals 59(3), 396–412.

Comparison of different formulations of extended-release buprenorphine in perioperative pain management in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

Common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) are increasingly used in biomedical research and often undergo surgery as part of IACUC-approved protocols. Therefore, pain control is essential to their clinical management and welfare. Extended-release buprenorphine is a valuable opioid analgesic option, as it...

Year Published: 2025Topics: AnalgesiaAnimal Type: Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Mokhtar Pouriani, K., McAndrew, R., Chan, N. et al. 2025. Comparison of different formulations of extended-release buprenorphine in perioperative pain management in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 64(3), 374–384.

Ge, Y., Alamaw, E. D., Ray, R. R. et al. 2025. Analgesic efficacy of a long-acting transdermal buprenorphine in rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Zorbium is the first long-acting transdermal buprenorphine (LAT-bup) approved by the FDA for relieving postoperative pain in cats for 72 h. This study aimed to investigate LAT-bup’s efficacy for attenuating postoperative mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity in a rat incisional pain...

Year Published: 2025Topics: AnalgesiaAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Ge, Y., Alamaw, E. D., Ray, R. R. et al. 2025. Analgesic efficacy of a long-acting transdermal buprenorphine in rats (Rattus norvegicus). Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 64(3), 406–413.

Assessment of postoperative analgesic efficacy and animal well-being using a novel triaxial accelerometer device, the rodent fitbit-like telemetry device

Accurate postoperative pain management is crucial for good animal welfare and science. We sought to evaluate mouse postoperative pain management efficacy by measuring activity using a novel triaxial acceleration device—the Rodent Fitbit-like telemetry device (RFB)—to monitor home cage activity. To...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Analgesia, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Campbell, M., Tolwani, A., Tolwani, R. et al. 2025. Assessment of postoperative analgesic efficacy and animal well-being using a novel triaxial accelerometer device, the rodent fitbit-like telemetry device. Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 64(3), 457–467.

The effects of subcutaneous ketamine on postlaparotomy analgesia and behavior in female Sprague–Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Multimodal analgesia provides superior pain control compared with single-agent analgesic approaches. However, certain analgesic drug classes such as NSAIDs and opioids may be contraindicated in some studies due to their mechanisms of action, highlighting the need for alternative analgesic options....

Year Published: 2025Topics: AnalgesiaAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Alionhart, R. E., Carlson, M. M., White, A. R. et al. 2025. The effects of subcutaneous ketamine on postlaparotomy analgesia and behavior in female Sprague–Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus). Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 64(3), 468–479.

Self-administration of meloxicam via medicated molasses lick blocks may improve welfare of castrated calves (2025)

The self-administration of meloxicam via medicated feed is a novel concept that could enable non-invasive, pre-emptive and long-term analgesia. Forty Bos taurus male calves were randomly allocated to four treatment groups: no castration (PC), surgical castration (NC), surgical castration with...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Analgesia, Body Modification/MutilationAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Rudd, S., Lomax, S., White, P. J. et al. 2025. Self-administration of meloxicam via medicated molasses lick blocks may improve welfare of castrated calves. Animals 15(3), 442.

Analgesia administration practices to support minimal handling (2024)

An adequate analgesic strategy is important to improve the postoperative recovery and welfare of laboratoy animals. It is desirable that the method for administering the drug is non-invasive and stress-free. Below are a few methods that we use to minimise...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Analgesia, Drug/Substance Administration, Surgery & Post-OpAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Keenan, R., Lynch, A., Murphy, S. et al. 2024. Analgesia administration practices to support minimal handling. Animal Technology and Welfare 23(3), 239–240.

Analgesic efficacy of hydromorphone in American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) (2025)

Background American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) are maintained in zoos, aquaria, and farms for educational, research, and production purposes. The standard of veterinary medical care and welfare for captive reptiles requires managing pain and discomfort under conditions deemed painful in mammals....

Year Published: 2025Topics: AnalgesiaAnimal Type: Crocodile & Alligator, Reptile

Citation: Henke, S. E., Wester, D. B., Eversole, C. B. et al. 2025. Analgesic efficacy of hydromorphone in American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Frontiers in Veterinary Science 12.

A history of pain studies and changing attitudes to the welfare of crustaceans (2025)

Early discussions about possible pain in crustaceans often comprised speculation and anecdotes. Experiments to investigate pain took guidance from these early debates, and from studies on other taxa. Many experiments provided data that are consistent with the idea of pain....

Year Published: 2025Topics: Analgesia, Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Crustacean, Invertebrate

Citation: Elwood, R. W. 2025. A history of pain studies and changing attitudes to the welfare of crustaceans. Animals 15(3), 445.

Testing perioperative meloxicam analgesia to enhance welfare while preserving model validity in an inflammation-induced seizure model

Despite the international effort to improve laboratory animal welfare through the 3R principles (Reduce, Refine, Replace), many scientists still fail to implement and report their assessment of pain and well-being, likely due to concerns regarding the potential effects of analgesics...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Analgesia, Disease/Experimental Model, Surgery & Post-OpAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Weiß, E., Pauletti, A., Egilmez, A. et al. 2024. Testing perioperative meloxicam analgesia to enhance welfare while preserving model validity in an inflammation-induced seizure model. Scientific Reports 14(1), 30563.