Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pain relief and fentanyl levels in cats with full or partial fentanyl
By Davidson, Charisse D et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2004·VetSurg Inc., United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Plasma fentanyl concentrations and analgesic effects during full or partial exposure to transdermal fentanyl patches in cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 16 cats undergoing spay surgery received either full or partial exposure to a fentanyl patch for pain relief. The study found that while the full exposure group had higher levels of fentanyl in their blood, both groups experienced similar pain relief after surgery. For smaller cats weighing less than 9 pounds, using half of a fentanyl patch was enough to manage their pain effectively. This suggests that partial exposure can still provide adequate pain control for these cats.
People also search for: cat spay surgery pain relief · fentanyl patch for cats · how much fentanyl for small cat
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare plasma fentanyl concentrations and analgesic efficacy during full or partial exposure to 25-microg/h transdermal fentanyl patches (TFPs) in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy. DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial. ANIMALS: 16 client-owned cats. PROCEDURE: Cats were randomly assigned to receive full or partial exposure to a TFP; patches were applied approximately 24 hours prior to ovariohysterectomy. Rectal temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood glucose concentration, and blood pressure were measured and pain severity was assessed periodically for 72 hours after patch application. Venous blood samples were collected for determination of plasma fentanyl concentration 0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours after patch application. RESULTS: Mean +/- SD steady state plasma fentanyl concentration in cats in the full TFP exposure group (1.78 +/- 0.92 ng/mL) was significantly greater than concentration in cats in the partial exposure group (1.14 +/- 0.86 ng/mL). Steady state plasma fentanyl concentrations were evident between 18 and 72 hours after patch application. Subjective scores used to evaluate analgesic efficacy were not significantly different between treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that delivery of fentanyl from TFPs can be reduced by decreasing the amount of exposed surface area. In cats weighing < 4 kg (9 lb), exposure to half a 25-microg/h TFP appears to provide adequate analgesia following ovariohysterectomy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15002807/