Objectives

To compare analgesic effect of carprofen and meloxicam in cats after ovariohysterectomy. To investigate the use of respiratory and heart rate as indicators of degree of pain.

Materials & Methods

Cats that were spayed (flank ovariohysterectomy) were allocated into three treatment groups. One group (controls) received no analgesic prior to evaluation, the others received a single dose of meloxicam (0.3 mg/kg) or carprofen (4 mg/kg) subcutaneously prior to surgical procedure in a randomised and blinded fashion. The analgesic effect after each treatment was scored by measuring respiratory rate and heart rate. Measurement was done 3½ hours after onset of anaesthesia.

Results

Average respiratory rate differed, the placebo group scoring 31% higher than the meloxicam and carprofen groups (p<0,05). The meloxicam and carprofen groups were equal. There was no difference between the three groups when comparing the average heart rate.

Conclusion

Meloxicam and carprofen offers comparable postoperative pain relief in cats. The results show that respiratory rate can be used when scoring pain in cats, whereas heart rate can not be used.