We’re excited to highlight a recent article from the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation, featuring one of our own researchers, Dr. Diego Portela of the Pain Innovation Research Laboratory.
In “Relieving Pain, Restoring Joy: A New Approach to Canine Osteoarthritis,” Dr. Portela discusses his team’s groundbreaking work to improve pain management for dogs suffering from osteoarthritis — a common and often debilitating condition in aging pets.
With support from the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Dr. Portela and his team have successfully developed two innovative nerve block techniques that specifically target the nerves responsible for sensation in the elbow and knee joints. The technique for the knee—known as pericapsular knee desensitization—is particularly promising, demonstrating strong accuracy in targeting the relevant articular nerves while minimizing the risk of affecting the nerves involved in limb mobility.
This important first step lays the groundwork for future clinical trials aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of these techniques in improving comfort and quality of life for dogs with osteoarthritis. This research represents a significant advancement in non-surgical pain management, offering new hope for enhancing mobility and well-being in affected dogs.
👏 Great work to Dr. Portela and the entire Anesthesia and Analgesia team at the UF Veterinary Hospital for their dedication to advancing veterinary medicine!