Effect of pre-operative administration of ketoprofen on post-operative pain in dogs after elective ovariohysterectomy

Abstract

Ketoprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to manage post-operative pain in dogs. Pre-operative administration of ketoprofen may attenuate peripheral and central hypersensitization and reduce severity of post-operative pain. The purpose of our study was to determine the effect of pre-operative administration of ketoprofen on post-operative pain in dogs after elective ovariohysterectomy. Sixty minutes before induction of anesthesia, 11 dogs [22 ± 6 kg, 10 ± 4 months of age (mean ± SD)] were given saline solution (control) and another 11 dogs (21 ± 4 kg, 13 ± 9 months) were given ketoprofen (2 mg kg−1 IM). Thirty minutes before induction of anesthesia, glycopyrrolate (0.01 mg kg−1), acepromazine (0.05 mg kg−1) and butorphanol (0.2 mg kg−1) were given IM. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental (5–10 mg kg−1 IV) and maintained with isoflurane (1–3%) in oxygen. Ovariohysterectomy was performed by an experienced surgeon and butorphanol (0.1 mg kg−1 IV) was given 15 minutes before completion of the procedure. Behavioral and VAS pain scores, and physiological parameters were recorded before and immediately after surgery, and periodically for 24 hours after surgery. Similarly, blood samples for determination of serum cortisol and glucose were collected before and immediately after surgery, and at 4 hours intervals for 24 hours after surgery. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance for repeated measures and multiple comparison tests. VAS pain scores are expressed as median values. After pre-operative administration of ketoprofen, VAS pain scores (0–100) were significantly (p < 0.05) below control values at 8 [10 versus 25 (ketoprofen versus control)], 10 (10 versus 30), 12 (0 versus 20), and 16 (0 versus 15) hours after surgery. Significant differences between treatments over time were not observed for measured physiological indices or for serum cortisol or glucose. In dogs given butorphanol before and during elective ovariohysterectomy, pre-operative administration of ketoprofen reduces severity of post-operative pain, and does not alter serum cortisol or glucose.