Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pain relief after spay surgery in cats: robenacoxib vs meloxicam
By Hillen, Florence et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2023·School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Robenacoxib versus meloxicam following ovariohysterectomy in cats: A randomised, prospective clinical trial involving owner-based assessment of pain.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats recovering from spaying surgery (ovariohysterectomy) were given either meloxicam or robenacoxib to manage their pain. Owners reported that most cats seemed comfortable, but those on robenacoxib showed more signs of abnormal behavior and higher pain scores compared to those on meloxicam. This suggests that while both medications help with pain, meloxicam might work better for some cats. If your cat is recovering from surgery, discussing pain management options with your vet could be beneficial.
People also search for: cat spay surgery pain relief · meloxicam for cats after surgery · robenacoxib side effects in cats
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Injectable non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly prescribed to queens undergoing ovariohysterectomy (OVH), but the requirement for postoperative administration is unclear and practices vary. Existing studies assessing efficacy rely on pain scoring by experienced clinicians. However, following OVH, most cats are discharged within hours of recovery. METHODS: Cats undergoing OVH were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: MEL and ROB. Cats in the MEL group (n = 76) received meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg) and those in the ROB group (n = 65) received robenacoxib (2 mg/kg). Owners were contacted by a blinded assessor 3 days postoperatively and asked to identify physical or behavioural changes and to assign pain scores using a numerical rating scale. RESULTS: More cats in the ROB group displayed abnormal behaviours than cats in the MEL group (p = 0.03). Most owners assigned a pain score of 0 (72%) (n = 101), but pain scores were significantly higher in the ROB group than in the MEL group (p = 0.005). LIMITATION: Methods of owner assessment of pain in cats have not been validated. CONCLUSIONS: Both meloxicam and robenacoxib are effective in controlling postoperative pain. Meloxicam may have improved efficacy in certain patient populations. Applying a blanket approach to prescribing NSAIDs to cats undergoing OVH postoperatively may not be necessary. This has safety, environmental and cost implications.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37494365/