title: Characterization of osteoarthritis in cats and meloxicam efficacy using objective chronic pain evaluation tools.
abstract: This study aimed to characterize osteoarthritis (OA)-related chronic pain and disability in experimental cats with naturally occurring OA. Peak vertical ground reaction force (PVF), accelerometer-based motor activity (MA) and the von Frey anesthesiometer-induced paw withdrawal threshold were used to define OA and to test the efficacy of meloxicam. A diagnosis of OA was based on radiographic and orthopedic examinations. Cats with OA (n=39) and classified as non-OA (n=6) were used to assess the reliability and sensitivity of the parameters to assess OA over 3weeks while being administered placebo medication. A randomised parallel design study was then used to investigate the effects on OA of daily oral meloxicam treatment for 4weeks at different dose rates (0.025mg/kg, n=10mg/kg; 0.04mg/kg, n=10; 0.05mg/kg, n=9), compared to cats administered a placebo (n=10). The test-retest repeatability for each tool was good (intra-class correlation coefficient ⩾0.6). The PVF and the von Frey anesthesiometer-induced paw withdrawal threshold discriminated OA (P<0.05). Meloxicam did not add to the PVF improvement observed in placebo-treated cats during the treatment period (adj-P⩽0.01). The 0.025 and the 0.05mg/kg meloxicam-treated cats experienced a higher night-time (17:00-06:58h) MA intensity during the treatment period compared to the placebo period (adj-P=0.04, and 0.02, respectively) and this effect was not observed in the placebo group. The high allodynia rate observed in the 0.04mg/kg meloxicam-treated group may explain the lower responsiveness to the drug. The von Frey anesthesiometer-induced paw withdrawal threshold demonstrated no responsiveness to meloxicam. The results from this study indicated that daily oral meloxicam administration for 4weeks provided pain relief according to night-time MA.
authors: Groupe de Recherche en Pharmacologie Animale du Québec (GREPAQ), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Guillot
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Moreau
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Heit
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Martel-Pelletier
authors: J-P
authors: JP
authors: Pelletier
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Troncy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D002415:Cats; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D000077239:Meloxicam; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D013843:Thiazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D013843:Thiazines; D013844:Thiazoles; D000077239:Meloxicam