A look at analgesia for enucleation — with web-exclusive videos

We cannot rely on the increasingly popular grimace scales to grade post-surgical pain level

A version of this article appeared in Veterinary Practice News. This posting includes two videos just for VPN Plus+ members.

The surgical procedure for an eye enucleation is within the reach of any reasonably skilled surgeon. However, the pain during and after a procedure can be excruciating. This is especially true when the enucleation is occurring because of a chronically painful condition, such as glaucoma; wind-up pain can lead to an acute-on-chronic scenario wherein the enucleation produces much more pain than the veterinary team might have expected.

Many times, the surgeon and nurse must rely on various methods of restraint—E-collars, boxing glove bandages—to prevent the patient from causing injury to itself.

Given the anim...


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