title: Post-operative analgesic effects of butorphanol or firocoxib administered to dogs undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the post-operative analgesic effects of butorphanol or firocoxib in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized, blinded, clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five dogs >1 year of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs received acepromazine intramuscularly (IM), 0.05 mg kg(-1) and either butorphanol IM, 0.2 mg kg(-1) (BG, n = 12) or firocoxib orally (PO), 5 mg kg(-1) (FG, n = 13), approximately 30 minutes before induction of anesthesia with propofol. Anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane. Ovariohysterectomy was performed by the same surgeon. Pain scores using the dynamic and interactive visual analog scale (DIVAS) were performed before and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 20 hours after the end of surgery by one observer, blinded to the treatment. Rescue analgesia was provided with morphine (0.5 mg kg(-1)) IM and firocoxib, 5 mg kg(-1) (BG only) PO if DIVAS >50. Groups were compared using paired t-tests and Fisher's exact test (p < 0.05). Data are presented as mean ± SD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The BG required significantly less propofol (BG: 2.6 ± 0.59 mg kg(-1); FG: 5.39 ± 0.7 mg kg(-1)) (p < 0.05) but the anesthesia time was longer (BG: 14 ± 6, FG: 10 ± 4 minutes). There were no differences for body weight (BG: 7.9 ± 5.0, FG: 11.5 ± 4.6 kg), sedation scores, and surgery and extubation times (BG: 10 ± 2, 8 ± 5 minutes; FG: 9 ± 3, 8 ± 4 minutes, respectively) (p > 0.05). The FG had significantly lower pain scores than the BG at 1, 2 and 3 hours following surgery (p < 0.05). Rescue analgesia was administered to 11/12 (92%) and 2/13 (15%) dogs in the BG and FG, respectively (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Firocoxib produced better post-operative analgesia than butorphanol. Firocoxib may be used as part of a multimodal analgesia protocol but may not be effective as a sole analgesic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Surgery and Anesthesiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, UNESP Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Janaina B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Paulo V M
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Steagall
authors.forename: Bruno W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Minto
authors.forename: Sílvia Elaine Rodolfo de Sá
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lorena
authors.forename: Eduardo S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Stelio P L
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Luna
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D002077:Butorphanol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004285:Dogs / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000662:veterinary*; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000662:veterinary*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013450:Sulfones / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D013450:Sulfones; D015107:4-Butyrolactone; D002077:Butorphanol; C487384:firocoxib