Evaluation of intravenous administration of meloxicam for perioperative pain management following stifle joint surgery in dogs.
OBJECTIVE
To compare preoperative administration of meloxicam and butorphanol to perioperative administration of butorphanol alone for control of postoperative signs of pain in dogs.


METHODS
40 client-owned dogs scheduled for surgical repair of a cranial cruciate ligament rupture.


METHODS
Group-1 dogs received butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg, IV) and meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg, IV) just prior to surgery. Group-2 dogs received butorphanol just prior to surgery (0.2 mg/kg, IV) and at incision closure (0.1 mg/kg, IV). Pain assessment began 1 to 2 hours before surgery and from extubation until 24 hours after surgery by obtaining the following measurements: the visual analog scale (VAS) score, cumulative pain score (CPS), adjusted cumulative pain score, modified cumulative pain score, and the adjusted modified cumulative pain score (AMCPS). Serum cortisol concentration was measured between 12 to 24 and between 1 to 2 hours prior to surgery, and at 30 minutes, and 1, 2, 4, 8, 18, and 24 hours after extubation.


RESULTS
No significant differences between treatment groups were observed in CPS or VAS score. At 8, 9, 10, and 11 hours after extubation, meloxicam-butorphanol-treated dogs had a significantly lower AMCPS, compared with butorphanol-alone-treated dogs. Total serum cortisol concentration (area under the curve) during the measurement period was significantly lower in meloxicam-butorphanol-treated dogs, compared with butorphanol-alone treated dogs.


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative single dose administration of meloxicam-butorphanol is equivalent to or slightly better than the administration of 2 perioperative doses of butorphanol for the control of postoperative signs of pain in dogs.
Budsberg
Steven C
SC
Department of Small Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602, USA.
Cross
Alan R
AR
Quandt
Jane E
JE
Pablo
Luisito S
LS
Runk
Alice R
AR
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D019540:Area Under Curve; D002077:Butorphanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004285:Dogs / Q000601:surgery*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D000077239:Meloxicam; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D013264:Stifle / Q000601:surgery; D013843:Thiazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D013843:Thiazines; D013844:Thiazoles; D002077:Butorphanol; D000077239:Meloxicam; D006854:Hydrocortisone