• Aymeric J Deneuche, Cédric Dufayet, Laurent Goby, Pascal Fayolle, and Christophe Desbois.
• Sections of Surgery and Anesthesia, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 7 Avenue du Gle. De Gaulle, 94704 Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France. adeneuche@free.fr
• Vet Surg. 2004 Nov 1;33(6):650-60.

ObjectiveTo compare the safety and efficacy of 2 analgesic protocols (preoperative meloxicam or intraoperative ketoprofen administration) during the first 24 hours after orthopedic surgery in dogs.Study DesignDouble-blind, prospective randomized clinical trial.AnimalsSixty client-owned dogs.MethodsDogs with surgical orthopedic disorders were randomly separated into 2 groups: 30 dogs were administered 0.2 mg/kg meloxicam intravenously (IV) immediately before induction and 30 dogs were administered 2 mg/kg ketoprofen IV, 30 minutes before the end of surgery. Pain was assessed with a visual analog scale (VAS) and a cumulative pain score (CPS) preoperatively and at 30 minutes, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 24 hours after extubation. Selected serum biochemical variables were measured before and 24 hours after surgery and, buccal mucosal bleeding time (BMBT) and whole blood clotting time (WBCT) were measured before and 8 hours after surgery. Dogs were anesthetized with propofol and maintained on halothane in oxygen. Any complications were documented for 7 days after surgery. Results were compared between the 2 groups for significant differences in VAS scores (2-sample t-test) and in CPS (Wilcoxon's 2-sample test). Moreover, results were analyzed for significant differences in area under the curve (AUC) for VAS (2-sample t-test) and CPS (Wilcoxon's 2-sample test) among groups. To assess the effects of treatments on biochemical and coagulation functions, pre- and postoperative mean values of BMBT and WBCT were compared within both treatment groups (paired t-tests) and between both groups (2-sample t-test).ResultsNo significant differences in pain response or coagulation were found between meloxicam- and ketoprofen-treated dogs. In both groups, alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase concentrations were significantly increased compared with baseline. No serious complications occurred.ConclusionsPreoperative administration of meloxicam is a safe and effective method of controlling postoperative pain for up to 24 hours in dogs undergoing orthopedic surgery.Clinical RelevanceAnalgesia after administration of preoperative meloxicam was comparable with administration of ketoprofen at the end of the surgery.

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