Comparison of the analgesic effects of meloxicam and carprofen administered preoperatively to dogs undergoing orthopaedic surgery

Abstract

Thirty-two dogs undergoing operations to repair a torn cranial cruciate ligament or a fractured long bone were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups in a study on postoperative pain. Sixteen of the dogs were given 4 mg/kg carprofen and the other 16 were given 0.2 mg/kg meloxicam subcutaneously before the operation. The signs of pain shown by the animals were assessed for 24 hours on a visual analogue scale, a discontinuous scoring system, and a score based on five behavioural and physiological variables. The dogs' heart and respiratory rates and their mean arterial blood pressures were also measured non-invasively at each assessment. Blood samples were taken before the surgery and 24 hours after it, and the concentrations of urea and creatinine were measured in plasma. Both drugs were effective in relieving the signs of pain for up to 24 hours in all the dogs. There were no significant changes in the concentrations of urea and creatinine, and no adverse effects were reported during the postoperative period.

Effects of Carprofen and Meloxicam with or without Butorphanol on the Minimum Alveolar Concentration of Sevoflurane in Dogs

“…Arterial blood pressure should be monitored and maintained within a normal range during anesthesia when carprofen or meloxicam are administered with butorphanol as premedication for dogs. Both clinical doses of carprofen and meloxicam provide effective postoperative analgesia when preoperatively administered [17][18][19], although meloxicam has higher in vitro selectivity of COX-2 inhibition than carprofen in dogs [5,15]. We also did not find any difference in sevofluranesparing effect between the treatments with carprofen alone and meloxicam alone, and between carprofen with butorphanol and meloxicam with butorphanol in dogs.…”

“…Their preoperative administration to dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy has been reported to produce a greater analgesic effect in the early postoperative period than does postoperative administration [18,19]. Also carprofen and meloxicam have been reported to relieve signs of pain for up to 24 hr in dogs undergoing orthopaedic surgery [7,17]. However, it is unclear whether preoperative administration of carprofen or meloxicam reduces inhalant anesthetic requirements.…”

The Effect of Four Anaesthetic Protocols for Maintenance of Anaesthesia on Trans-Diaphragmatic Pressure in Dogs

“…Carprofen was also used for additional analgesic effects. It has been shown to provide adequate analgesia in orthopaedic procedures in dogs, especially when it is given prior to surgery [42], [43]. However, its effect on diaphragmatic contractility is not known.…”

Comparison of a new metamizole formulation and carprofen for extended post-operative analgesia in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy

“…Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used for this purpose, although these can lead to a variety of side effects including gastrointestinal, renal, and haemostatic disorders (Curry et al, 2005;Luna et al, 2007;Monteiro-Steagall et al, 2013). Carprofen has been studied extensively in dogs in the perioperative (Nolan and Reid, 1993;Fox and Johnston, 1997;Lascelles et al, 1998;Laredo et al, 2004;Shih et al, 2008) and also in the extended post-operative period (Leece et al, 2005). An advantage of carprofen is that it is generally administered only once daily, thereby improving owner compliance (Pullar et al, 1988;Barter et al, 1996).…”