Abstract
In veterinary medicine, the administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics (NSAIDs) for the control of postsurgical pain in dogs and cats is common given the anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic effects of these drugs. This study compared the serum biochemical changes and postoperative analgesic effects of paracetamol, meloxicam, and carprofen in bitches submitted to an ovariohysterectomy using the Dynamic Interactive Visual Analog Scale (DIVAS) and Pain Scale of the University of Melbourne (UMPS) scoring systems. Thirty bitches of different breeds underwent elective ovariohysterectomies and were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: a paracetamol group [15 mg kg-1 intravenous (IV)], a carprofen group (4 mg kg-1 IV), and a meloxicam group (0.2 mg kg-1 IV). All treatments were administered 30 minutes prior to surgery. Paracetamol was administered every 8 hours postoperatively for 48 hours total, while carprofen and meloxicam were intravenously administered every 24 hours. An evaluation of post-surgical pain was done with the DIVAS and the UMPS. The first post-surgical pain measurement was performed 1 hour after surgery and then 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 36, and 48 hours after surgery. All groups exhibited a gradual reduction in pain throughout the postoperative period in both scales; however, neither scale significantly differed between the three treatment groups (P > 0.05) during the 48 postoperative hours. Paracetamol was as effective as meloxicam and carprofen for post-surgical analgesia in bitches subjected to elective ovariohysterectomy. The present study demonstrates that paracetamol may be considered a tool for the effective treatment of acute perioperative pain in dogs. Furthermore, this drug led to no adverse reactions or changes in the parameters assessed in the present study, indicating its safety.
Highlights
The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) has defined pain as an “unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated to a real or potential damage in a tissue, or that is described in terms of said damage” [1]
All groups exhibited a gradual reduction in pain throughout the postoperative period in both scales; neither scale significantly differed between the three treatment groups (P > 0.05) during the 48 postoperative hours
Paracetamol was as effective as meloxicam and carprofen for post-surgical analgesia in bitches subjected to elective ovariohysterectomy
Summary
The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) has defined pain as an “unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated to a real or potential damage in a tissue, or that is described in terms of said damage” [1]. The COX enzyme is present in most tissue types and two forms have been identified: COX-1 and COX-2 [4], where subsequent studies have shown that both isoforms are constitutive and inducible [5,6]. A recently described third isoform, COX-3, has been identified in the canine cerebral cortex, with minimal amounts found peripherally. COX-3 is thought to be inhibited by paracetamol [7,8]; its activity and physiological effects in dogs, rats, and humans have been the source of some debate and speculation [9,10]. This study compared the serum biochemical changes and postoperative analgesic effects of paracetamol, meloxicam, and carprofen in bitches submitted to an ovariohysterectomy using the Dynamic Interactive Visual Analog Scale (DIVAS) and Pain Scale of the University of Melbourne (UMPS) scoring systems
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