Pain Control: Ethical and Legal

New scientific knowledge is now available about factors influencing animal welfare and the capacity of animals to sense and express pain, suffering, distress, and lasting harm. Therefore, EU Legislation states that is necessary to improve animal welfare in scientific procedures listing a few procedures in relation to their severity degree. However, this list of procedures is insufficient. Now it is necessary that the relief of pain in laboratory animals becomes real. In Italy, a lot of surgical procedures are performed with old drugs lacking high analgesic effects, such as chloral hydrate or thiopental sodium, because researchers do not ask veterinarians for advice. In the presence of surgical wounds it would be advisable to apply a local anesthetic to prevent chewing; the use of analgesics is also helpful to speed recovery after surgery and to promote the mobility and food intake. Also some cases of dermatitis need the use of drugs that reduce itching and the possibility of formation of ulcers due to scratching. Tumors, however, are very different, but in some cases, experimental results may not be affected by the use of analgesics that reduce animal suffering. It is important that all procedures, especially those that may cause pain, suffering, distress, or lasting harm be refined according to the latest scientific knowledge, and that, whenever possible, analgesics be used.