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Recent developments in nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in cats
Gwendolyn L Carroll1, Stephanie M Simonson
1Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA.
Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
|November 4, 2005
Summary
Veterinary pain management in cats is often underestimated. While options were limited, newer nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) offer safer choices for feline pain relief.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Feline Pharmacology
- Pain Management
Background:
- Chronic pain in cats is frequently under-diagnosed and under-treated due to their stoic nature.
- Limited approved analgesic options have historically led to extra-label drug use in cats.
- Safety concerns have restricted the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in felines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current landscape of feline pain management.
- To highlight the challenges in diagnosing and treating pain in cats.
- To discuss the evolving role and safety of NSAIDs in veterinary practice for cats.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on feline pain and analgesia.
- Analysis of approved and extra-label drug use in cats.
- Examination of safety profiles for NSAIDs in feline patients.
Main Results:
- Historically, butorphanol was the sole US-approved analgesic for cats.
- Opioids and NSAIDs have been commonly used extra-label.
- Newer NSAIDs present improved safety profiles compared to older agents, with meloxicam being the only FDA-approved NSAID for cats in the US.
Conclusions:
- There is a need for increased awareness and improved diagnosis of pain in cats.
- The availability of safer NSAIDs is expanding treatment options for feline pain.
- Further research and regulatory approval for additional analgesics are warranted for cats.
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