Post-operative pain management following horse castration is an essential welfare obligation that should be standard practice rather than optional veterinary care.
The provision of adequate post-operative analgesia after castration is a welfare obligation that is often inadequately fulfilled in practice. A horse in significant pain in the 24-72 hours following castration shows this through behavioral signs that are sometimes dismissed as normal post-operative behavior. The availability of effective NSAIDs that are inexpensive and easily administered makes there no welfare justification for leaving horses in unmanaged post-operative pain. The standard of care should include a minimum 3-5 day NSAID course for all castrated horses, with extension if signs of pain persist.