DEVELOPMENT OF A VALIDATED OWNER-BASED ASSESSMENT SYSTEM FOR CHRONIC MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN IN THE CAT
In the US, there are no approved drugs or therapies for chronic pain in the cat. One reason for this is that there are no validated ways to determine if cats have chronic musculoskeletal pain. The lack of validated ways to assess pain makes it difficult for veterinarians to know if your cat is suffering from chronic pain. This study will help develop a questionnaire that is going to provide a tool for Veterinarians to determine if pain is present, and guide treatment by being able to assess how well those treatments are working. Once developed, the tool may also help pharmaceutical companies assess the efficacy of medications for chronic pain in cats.
The Comparative Pain Research Laboratory is seeking owners with cats that may have slowed down and might be experiencing pain from arthritis for a 10-week study.
About the study:
This study is a 10-week study. You will be assessing your cat during the study to see if you think there is an improvement or not.
After completing a telephone interview, you will be emailed/mailed a questionnaire with the consent form to review. You will bring these to your first appointment.
On the first appointment, we will go over the paperwork.
Your cat will be screened for eligibility with:
-Physical, Orthopedic and Neurologic exam by a Veterinarian
-Radiographs of painful joint (if needed) with sedation.
-Blood work: CBC, Chemistry, Urinalysis
Your cat will be fitted with an activity monitor on a collar. This will show us how active your cat is when you are not home!
The study will pay for everything towards the study.
Weeks 2,4,6,8- Only you need to come in with the collar with the activity monitor on it to be downloaded, and you will also carefully complete some questionnaires. You will be given a prescription of a liquid to administer to your cat for a 2 week period on week 2 and 6. The prescription is going to be a NSAID for two of the weeks and a placebo for the other two weeks (random as to which your cat gets first)
Week 10-Your cat needs to come back in to recheck blood and urine and for a doctor’s exam.
Eligibility:
Cat must:
- Have slowed down or be ‘mobility-impaired’ according to the owner
- Have pain on manipulation of at least one axial segment or appendicular joint that has radiographic evidence of degenerative joint disease
- Have relatively normal or stable blood values
- Be indoor only
Owner must:
- Agree to evaluate their cat for a 10-week period
- Agree to come for each recheck appointment 2 weeks apart for the ten weeks.
- Have a predictable and stable lifestyle (no impending house moves, vacations, impending new baby or pets)
- Agree to administer the medication/placebo as instructed
- Agree to not introduce any new nutritional supplements or diet during the study
Please email us or call for more information and to sign up!
cvm_cprl@ncsu.edu or call 919-513-6854