Single‐dose enflicoxib versus a 7‐day course of firocoxib for postoperative pain control in dogs undergoing orthopaedic surgery: A multicentre, randomised, masked, non‐inferiority study
Marta Salichs, José I. Redondo, Anabel Blasco‐Moreno, Llorenç Badiella, Josep HomedesAbstract
Background
Perioperative analgesia is essential in dogs undergoing orthopaedic surgery, and enflicoxib's long duration makes single‐dose administration attractive.
Methods
A prospective, multicentre, randomised, masked trial compared enflicoxib (8 mg/kg) given 24 hours before surgery with firocoxib (5 mg/kg) given daily for 7 days. Two hundred and sixteen dogs were enrolled. Pain was assessed using the short form of the Glasgow composite pain scale (SF‐GCPS) at predefined timepoints from 2 hours to 7 days after surgery. Inflammation was scored using a visual analogue scale, and owners evaluated demeanour, mobility and perceived analgesic quality. The primary efficacy endpoint was the area under the curve of the SF‐GCPS scores during the first 48 hours after surgery (SF‐GCPS AUC 2–48 h ). Treatment success was also calculated.
Results
Enflicoxib was non‐inferior to firocoxib for SF‐GCPS AUC 2–48 h . Early postoperative inflammation (2–8 hours) was significantly lower with enflicoxib. Pain scores at individual timepoints, treatment success and owner assessments were similar between groups.
Limitations
The non‐inferiority margin was not formally validated.
Conclusions
A single preoperative dose of enflicoxib provided safe, effective control of postoperative pain and inflammation associated with orthopaedic surgery in dogs and represents a practical perioperative non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug option.