It is also important to consider boredom as a welfare issue [ 45 ] and , potentially , a source of stress . Ferrets are described as inquisitive and ‘ neophilic ’ ( liking new things ), and studies in other animals experiencing pain show that an enriched environment will reduce the exhibition of pain behaviours , which leads the authors to believe that an animal ' s perception of its own pain may be altered when it is kept occupied .
Conclusions
There are some useful techniques currently available to manage pain in ferrets . A balanced , multimodal analgesia and anaesthesia approach is recommended to target all aspects of the pain pathway . This may include the use of opioids , NSAIDs and adjunctive agents , along with sedation and anaesthesia when required . Although some of our understanding of pain management in dogs and cats can be applied to ferrets , more research is needed into pain management in this species .
3 . Which of the following statements is INCORRECT ?
a ) Buprenorphine can be given transmucosally at a dose of 0.04 – 0.06 mg / kg every 6 – 8 hours
b ) Meloxicam can be given orally at a dose of 0.2 mg / kg every 24 hours
c ) It is safe to give oral meloxicam to a vomiting ferret d ) Paracetamol is considered toxic in ferrets
1 . c ) Methadone at 0.2 – 0.5 mg / kg every 2 – 3 hours 2 . d ) The concomitant use of acid reducers is important during long-term use of NSAIDs in ferrets 3 . c ) It is safe to give oral meloxicam to a vomiting ferret
Answers
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Cathy Johnson-Delaney , Anna Mercer ( Anna the Ferret Nurse ) and the Royal Veterinary College exotics team , and the owners of the ferrets photographed for educational purposes .
Assessment of learning
1 . Which of the following drugs can be used to treat moderate to severe pain in ferrets ?
a ) Buprenorphine , given only intravenously or intramuscularly
b ) Buprenorphine , given intravenously , intramuscularly , subcutaneously or transmucosally only every 12 hours
c ) Methadone at 0.2 – 0.5 mg / kg every 2 – 3 hours
d ) Meloxicam at 0.2 mg / kg , given subcutaneously as a single dose
2 . When using meloxicam as part of the analgesic plan in ferrets , which of the following statements is correct ?
a ) In ferrets the initial dose of meloxicam is 0.2 mg / kg given every 24 hours . This dose should be reduced to 0.05 mg / kg on subsequent administrations
b ) In ferrets meloxicam should be given only subcutaneously
c ) Meloxicam can be used as the sole agent to treat severe pain in ferrets
d ) The concomitant use of acid reducers is important during long-term use of NSAIDs in ferrets
REFERENCES
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