title: Comparison of carprofen and pethidine as postoperative analgesics in the cat.
abstract: The postoperative analgesia and sedation in cats given carprofen (4.0 mg/kg bodyweight by subcutaneous injection preoperatively) was compared to that in cats given pethidine (3.3 mg/kg bodyweight by intramuscular injection postoperatively) in a controlled, randomised, blinded, multicentre clinical trial. Further dosing with the particular analgesic was allowed if a cat was exhibiting unacceptable pain. In total, 57 carprofen cases and 59 pethidine cases were evaluated. Significantly fewer cats in the carprofen group required additional doses of analgesic, and mean pain scores were significantly lower from four hours after ovariohysterectomy, and at 18 to 24 hours after castration, compared to the pethidine group. In conclusion, carprofen provided as good a level of postoperative analgesia as pethidine, but of a longer duration (at least 24 hours) and was well tolerated. It thus provides an option for 'pre-emptive analgesia' in cats about to undergo surgery.
authors.affiliation: Grampian Pharmaceuticals, Leyland.
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Balmer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Irvine
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Slingsby
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Waterman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Waters
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002415:Cats / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008614:Meperidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011292:Premedication / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D016037:Single-Blind Method
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D002227:Carbazoles; D008614:Meperidine; C007005:carprofen