title: A prospective multi-centre clinical trial to compare buprenorphine and butorphanol for postoperative analgesia in cats.
abstract: One hundred and fifty-three cats undergoing surgery in seven veterinary practices in Great Britain were studied. They were randomly allocated to receive either 10-20 microg/kg buprenorphine or 0.4 mg/kg butorphanol with acepromazine before anaesthesia with propofol, Saffan or thiopentone and isoflurane or halothane. Routine monitoring was undertaken. Pain and sedation were assessed blind using a four point (0-3) simple descriptive scale (SDS) at 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24h. Pain and sedation data were compared using non-parametric statistical tests and continuous data using t tests or analysis of variance (ANOVA). Anaesthesia and surgery were uneventful, and cardiorespiratory data were within normal limits. After surgery, overall, more cats had pain score 0 after buprenorphine and more had pain score 3 after butorphanol (P=0.0465). At individual time points, more cats had lower pain scores after buprenorphine at 2 (P=0.040) and 24 (P=0.036)h. At 24h 83% after buprenorphine and 63% after butorphanol had pain score 0 (P<0.04). Buprenorphine provided better and longer lasting postoperative analgesia than butorphanol.
authors.affiliation: Taylor Monroe, Gravel Head Farm, Downham Common, Little Downham, Nr Ely, Cambs CB6 2TY, UK. polly@taylormonroe.co.uk
authors.forename: Polly M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Jonathan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: David D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Marion A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Church
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002077:Butorphanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002415:Cats / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D002047:Buprenorphine; D002077:Butorphanol