Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pain relief after tibia and fibula surgery in dogs with meloxicam
By Lafuente, M Pilar et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2005·Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparison between meloxicam and transdermally administered fentanyl for treatment of postoperative pain in dogs undergoing osteotomy of the tibia and fibula and placement of a uniplanar external distraction device.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 16 dogs undergoing orthopedic surgery for leg fractures received either meloxicam, a common pain relief medication, or a fentanyl patch to manage their postoperative pain. Both treatments were effective, but the dogs that received meloxicam showed less lameness and recovered more quickly. The meloxicam group had lower lameness scores at 24 and 72 hours compared to the fentanyl group, suggesting that meloxicam not only helped with pain but also reduced inflammation. Overall, meloxicam proved to be beneficial for faster recovery after surgery.
People also search for: dog surgery pain relief · meloxicam for dogs after surgery · fentanyl patch for dog pain
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of meloxicam administered perioperatively with transdermal administration of fentanyl via a patch placed preoperatively in dogs undergoing orthopedic surgery. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 16 dogs. PROCEDURE: Unilateral or bilateral osteotomy of the tibia and fibula was surgically performed, and a uniplanar external distraction device was placed in each limb. Postoperative pain and lameness were assessed 24, 48, and 72 hours after administration of the first of 3 doses of meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg [0.09 mg/lb], IV, given preoperatively, followed by 0.1 mg/kg [0.045 mg/lb], IV, after 24 hours, and 0.1 mg/kg, PO, after 48 hours) or preoperative placement of a transdermal fentanyl patch (50 microg/h) left in place for 72 hours. RESULTS: No significant differences in total pain scores were detected between groups. Mean +/- SD lameness scores assessed at 24 and 72 hours were lower in dogs in the meloxicam group than dogs in the fentanyl group. Lameness scores decreased with time in a similar manner in both treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Perioperative administration of meloxicam or preoperative placement of a transdermal fentanyl patch provided effective and similar postoperative analgesia in dogs undergoing orthopedic surgery. However, because of its anti-inflammatory effects, treatment with meloxicam reduced the degree of lameness and resulted in rapid functional recovery of the limb.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16342525/