A comparison of ketorolac with flunixin, butorphanol, and oxymorphone in controlling postoperative pain in dogs.

Abstract

Ketorolac tromethamine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic, was compared with flunixin and butorphanol for its analgesic efficacy and potential side effects after laparotomy or shoulder arthrotomy in dogs. Sixty-four dogs were randomly assigned to receive butorphanol 0.4 mg/kg body weight (BW) (n = 21), flunixin 1.0 mg/kg BW (n = 21), or ketorolac 0.5 mg/kg BW (n = 22), in a double blind fashion. The analgesic efficacy was rated from 1 to 4 (1 = inadequate, 4 = excellent) for each dog. The average scores after laparotomy were ketorolac, 3.4; flunixin, 2.7; and butorphanol, 1.6. After shoulder arthrotomy, the average scores were ketorolac, 3.5; flunixin, 3.0; and butorphanol, 1.4 (5/11 dogs). As butorphanol was unable to control pain after shoulder arthrotomy, oxymorphone, 0.05 mg/kg BW, replaced butorphanol in a subsequent group of dogs and had a score of 2.0 (6/11 dogs). Serum alanine aminotransferase and creatinine were significantly elevated above baseline at 24 hours postoperatively in dogs receiving flunixin. One dog in each group developed melena or hematochezia. One dog receiving ketorolac had histological evidence of gastric ulceration. We concluded that ketorolac is a good analgesic for postoperative pain in dogs.

• Authors: K A Mathews, D M Paley, R A Foster, A E Valliant, S S Young
• Journal: The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne (Can Vet J) Vol. 37 Issue 9 Pg. 557-67 (Sep 1996) ISSN: 0008-5286 [Print] Canada
• PMID: 8877043 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Analgesics, Opioid
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
• flunixin
• Oxymorphone
• Creatinine
• Tolmetin
• Alanine Transaminase
• Butorphanol
• Clonixin
• Ketorolac

Topics

• Alanine Transaminase (blood)
• Analgesics, Opioid (adverse effects, standards, therapeutic use)
• Animals
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal (adverse effects, standards, therapeutic use)
• Arthroscopy (adverse effects, veterinary)
• Butorphanol (adverse effects, standards, therapeutic use)
• Clonixin (adverse effects, analogs & derivatives, standards, therapeutic use)
• Creatinine (blood)
• Dog Diseases (blood, drug therapy, etiology)
• Dogs
• Double-Blind Method
• Ketorolac
• Laparotomy (adverse effects, veterinary)
• Oxymorphone (adverse effects, standards, therapeutic use)
• Pain Measurement (methods, veterinary)
• Pain, Postoperative (drug therapy, etiology, veterinary)
• Tolmetin (adverse effects, analogs & derivatives, standards, therapeutic use)