title: Efficacy and safety of 3 versus 5 days of meloxicam as an analgesic for feline onychectomy and sterilization.
abstract: Three- or 5-day courses of meloxicam [0.2 mg/kg body weight (BW) subcutaneously pre- or postoperatively on Day 1 followed by 0.05 mg/kg BW, PO per day thereafter] were assessed for analgesic efficacy and safety in 50 client-owned cats undergoing onychectomy and sterilization. Primary outcome parameters were analgesia score, gait/lameness score, and need for rescue analgesia assessed at times 0, 1, 4, 7, 24, 28, 35, 48, 52, 57 hours and on Day 5. Packed cell volume/total solids and serum biochemistry were assessed at time 0 and Days 3 and 5. There were no differences in efficacy and safety parameters regardless of the treatment protocol employed and no cat required rescue analgesia. The patients that received meloxicam preoperatively had statistically better gait/lameness scores than those that received meloxicam postoperatively, supporting the principle of preemptive analgesia.
authors.affiliation: Boehringer Ingelheim Canada Ltd, Vetmedica Division, 5180 South Service Road, Burlington, Ontario L7L 5H4. walt.ingwersen@boehringer-ingelheim.com
authors.forename: Walt
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ingwersen
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Winhall
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002415:Cats / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D000077239:Meloxicam; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D013843:Thiazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D013843:Thiazines; D013844:Thiazoles; D000077239:Meloxicam