BackgroundInjectable 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.MethodsCats 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.ResultsMore 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).LimitationMethods of owner assessment of pain in cats have not been validated.ConclusionsBoth 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.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.