Postoperative analgesic efficacy of meloxicam compared to tolfenamic acid in cats undergoing orthopaedic surgery

Abstract

To investigate the efficacy of meloxicam or tolfenamic acid administered preoperatively and postoperatively (five days in total) to cats undergoing surgical fracture repair. Eighty-eight otherwise healthy cats were matched according to fracture site and then randomly allocated to one of two groups, receiving 0·2 mg/kg meloxicam by subcutaneous injection (group M) or 1·5 to 3 mg/kg tolfenamic acid orally (group T) before anaesthesia. Analgesia was continued with 0.05 mg/kg oral meloxicam once daily or 1·5 to 3 mg/kg oral tolfenamic acid twice daily for four days postoperatively. Pain was assessed by a blinded observer using visual analogue scales and a functional limb score. The drug administrator assessed feed intake and palatability of the treatment. Data from 66 cats were analysed. Visual analogue scale pain scores and functional limb scores decreased over time in both groups but were not significantly different between treatments. Feed intake was similar in both groups. Meloxicam was significantly more palatable than tolfenamic acid on all treatment days. Meloxicam and tolfenamic acid demonstrated comparable analgesia, without clinically observable side effects. Meloxicam may be associated with superior compliance in clinical practice due to the higher palatability and once daily treatment resulting in better ease of administration.