OA pain care moves beyond NSAIDs in Clinician’s Brief podcast
CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: Clinician’s Brief has published a sponsored podcast featuring veterinary pain specialist Dr. Robin Downing on osteoarthritis pain management, framed around a central message that OA care should go beyond NSAIDs alone. In the episode, hosted by Dr. Beth Molleson and sponsored by PRN Pharmacal, Downing discusses more complete pain-control strategies and better communication with pet parents to identify pain earlier and improve quality of life. That emphasis aligns with broader veterinary guidance: the 2022 AAHA Pain Management Guidelines call for regular pain assessment, individualized treatment plans, multimodal therapy, ongoing monitoring, and stronger client education, rather than relying on a single drug class. A related Clinician’s Brief podcast with sports medicine and rehab specialist Dr. Matt Brunke reinforces the same practical point from a mobility angle, highlighting obesity, inactivity, environmental setup, and rehabilitation as major factors in joint health for both dogs and cats. (cliniciansbrief.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the takeaway isn’t that NSAIDs are out, but that OA pain is often undertreated when practices stop there. AAHA guidance stresses combining pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic options, including rehab, environmental modification, weight management, and repeated reassessment. Brunke’s discussion adds useful day-to-day context: cats are often overlooked despite high obesity rates and age-related primary OA, while dogs’ mobility problems commonly involve OA, cruciate disease, and post-injury or post-surgical recovery. Together, those sources reinforce a practical shift in practice: build protocols that treat OA as a chronic, monitored condition, address body condition and home function, and help pet parents recognize subtle mobility and behavior changes earlier. (aaha.org)
What to watch: Expect continued discussion around multimodal OA protocols, especially as practices weigh newer biologics alongside NSAIDs, rehab, nutrition, weight management, and monitoring requirements. (aaha.org)