MASSEY
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UNIVERSITY
RESEARCH UPDATE
Gains in reducing pain Massey University School of Veterinary Science PhD candidate Farzin Sahebjam has developed a novel method for prolonging analgesia among deer after velvet antler removal.
BACKGROUND AND SCOPE The New Zealand deer industry is growing quickly, thanks largely to exports of velvet antler and the production of venison. In the year ending 30 September 2018, the total value of velvet exports from New Zealand was estimated at $65 million (Deer Industry New Zealand, 2018), and demand for velvet antler has led to an increased demand for stag production. There are still some animal welfare concerns about velvet antler production, in which pain can be as severe as that felt after a limb amputation (Wilson and Stafford, 2002). The current practice is to inject the short-acting local analgesic lidocaine around the antler pedicle, and the drug is licensed to be administered just before the procedure. However, this pain relief can only last for about 90 minutes. In my study I’ve been able to demonstrate that deer regain the sensation of pain as soon as one hour after the procedure. To date, no licensed protocol or product has been developed to alleviate pain following velvet antler removal in deer. For this reason my PhD project aims to develop a new analgesic drug for use in velvet antler removal. I used the deer model to figure out how to cover and coat local anaesthetic drugs, causing a slower release than usual and therefore prolonging their effects. SIMULATION IN THE LAB Initially I faced many challenges and had to work in a multidisciplinary way to bring together all aspects of the research. A year into my study I learned how to extract and change the structure of biocompatible materials from industrial waste products to make my formulation. I focused on using waste products to not only reduce cost but also minimise the environmental impacts of the industry. The next stage involved a series of tests to assess and validate the functionality of the novel formula. My colleagues and I needed to establish first whether our drug could be released from the biocompatible structure, and second
12 – VetScript September 2020
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
