Assessment of Postoperative Pain Management Practices in Dogs at Veterinary Clinics in Enugu State

Adequate postoperative pain management is a fundamental component of surgical care in small animals, yet its implementation in Nigerian veterinary practice remains variably applied and understudied. This study assesses current postoperative pain management practices for dogs undergoing surgery at registered veterinary clinics in Enugu State, South East Nigeria. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining structured questionnaires administered to 32 veterinary surgeons and clinical observation of 78 postoperative canine cases from May 2023 to April 2024. Pain assessment tools, analgesic agents used, dosing protocols, and duration of pain management were recorded and analyzed. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were the most frequently prescribed analgesics, used in 81% of postoperative cases. Opioid analgesia was administered in only 12% of cases, primarily by surgeons with postgraduate training. Formal pain scoring using validated scales was practiced by only 19% of clinicians. Owner-administered home analgesia was documented in 54% of cases, with compliance observed to be moderate. Significant knowledge gaps regarding multimodal analgesia and pain recognition in dogs were identified, particularly among practitioners who graduated more than ten years prior. These findings reveal a need for structured continuing education in veterinary pain management across South Eastern Nigeria, integration of validated pain assessment tools into clinical routine, and greater accessibility of licensed opioid analgesics for companion animal use. Keywords: postoperative pain, canine analgesia, pain assessment, Enugu State, veterinary surgery.