Preliminary investigations of pain and analgesia assessment in horses administered phenylbutazone or placebo after arthroscopic surgery.
Abstract: Twenty-five horses undergoing arthroscopic surgery were studied to develop a scheme for assessing pain in horses while investigating the effects of phenylbutazone (PBZ) analgesia. Fifteen of the 25 horses received PBZ 4 mg/kg intravenously (IV) before surgery and 2 mg/kg (IV) every 12 hours thereafter until 60 hours; the remaining 10 (placebo group) were given a corresponding volume of saline. In both groups, venous blood samples were collected for catecholamine, beta-endorphin, and cortisol assays before premedication and up to 72 hours after surgery. Postoperative pain was evaluated by measuring predefined behavioral and physiological variables. A total postoperative pain severity index (TPPSI) was calculated using all variables. There were no differences between PBZ and placebo groups in plasma beta-endorphin or catecholamine concentrations, but the TPPSI was higher in the placebo group than in the PBZ group, suggesting that perioperative treatment with PBZ has some analgesic benefit. This study shows the difficulties associated with pain assessment in horses.
Publication Date: 1997-03-01 PubMed ID: 9068166DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950x.1997.tb01478.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research paper investigates the process of assessing pain in horses after arthroscopic surgery and the effects of administering Phenylbutazone, a pain reliever. The aim is to verify whether Phenylbutazone has analgesic benefits.
Research Methodology
- The research was conducted on 25 horses that underwent arthroscopic surgery.
- The horses were classified into two groups. 15 horses received Phenylbutazone (PBZ), a pain reliever, which was administered intravenously before surgery and every 12 hours until 60 hours post-operation. The remaining 10 horses were treated with saline and made up the placebo group.
- The pain was assessed by monitoring various behavioral and physiological variables after surgery. A total postoperative pain severity index (TPPSI) was computed using data collected from these variables.
- The scientists collected venous blood samples from all subjects before and up to 72 hours after the surgery. These samples were analyzed to measure catecholamine, cortisol, and beta-endorphin levels.
Research Findings
- The research found no significant differences in plasma beta-endorphin or catecholamine concentrations between the group treated with PBZ and the placebo group.
- However, the TPPSI score was higher in the placebo group compared to the PBZ group. This implies that administering PBZ during perioperative periods offers some level of pain relief to horses.
- The research concludes by highlighting how difficult it can be to accurately assess pain in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Raekallio M, Taylor PM, Bennett RC.
(1997).
Preliminary investigations of pain and analgesia assessment in horses administered phenylbutazone or placebo after arthroscopic surgery.
Vet Surg, 26(2), 150-155.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-950x.1997.tb01478.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.
MeSH Terms
- Analgesia / veterinary
- Animals
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / administration & dosage
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use
- Arthroscopy / veterinary
- Catecholamines / blood
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horses / surgery
- Hydrocortisone / blood
- Pain Measurement / veterinary
- Pain, Postoperative / drug therapy
- Pain, Postoperative / veterinary
- Phenylbutazone / administration & dosage
- Phenylbutazone / therapeutic use
- Preanesthetic Medication
- beta-Endorphin / blood
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Flood J, Stewart AJ. Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Associated Toxicities in Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Oct 26;12(21).
- Lanci A, Benedetti B, Freccero F, Castagnetti C, Mariella J, van Loon JPAM, Padalino B. Development of a Composite Pain Scale in Foals: A Pilot Study.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Feb 11;12(4).
- Jacobs CC, Schnabel LV, McIlwraith CW, Blikslager AT. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in equine orthopaedics.. Equine Vet J 2022 Jan 25;54(4):636-48.
- Hernández-Avalos I, Mota-Rojas D, Mendoza-Flores JE, Casas-Alvarado A, Flores-Padilla K, Miranda-Cortes AE, Torres-Bernal F, Gómez-Prado J, Mora-Medina P. Nociceptive pain and anxiety in equines: Physiological and behavioral alterations.. Vet World 2021 Nov;14(11):2984-2995.
- Torcivia C, McDonnell S. Equine Discomfort Ethogram.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Feb 23;11(2).
- Gehlen H, Jaburg N, Merle R, Winter J. Can Endocrine Dysfunction Be Reliably Tested in Aged Horses That Are Experiencing Pain?. Animals (Basel) 2020 Aug 14;10(8).
- Trindade PHE, Hartmann E, Keeling LJ, Andersen PH, Ferraz GC, Paranhos da Costa MJR. Effect of work on body language of ranch horses in Brazil.. PLoS One 2020;15(1):e0228130.
- Contreras-Aguilar MD, Escribano D, Martín-Cuervo M, Tecles F, Cerón JJ. Salivary alpha-amylase activity and cortisol in horses with acute abdominal disease: a pilot study.. BMC Vet Res 2018 May 10;14(1):156.
- Guedes AGP, Aristizabal F, Sole A, Adedeji A, Brosnan R, Knych H, Yang J, Hwang SH, Morisseau C, Hammock BD. Pharmacokinetics and antinociceptive effects of the soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor t-TUCB in horses with experimentally induced radiocarpal synovitis.. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 2018 Apr;41(2):230-238.
- Conde Ruiz C, Cruz Benedetti IC, Guillebert I, Portier KG. Effect of Pre- and Postoperative Phenylbutazone and Morphine Administration on the Breathing Response to Skin Incision, Recovery Quality, Behavior, and Cardiorespiratory Variables in Horses Undergoing Fetlock Arthroscopy: A Pilot Study.. Front Vet Sci 2015;2:58.
- Walliser U, Fenner A, Mohren N, Keefe T, deVries F, Rundfeldt C. Evaluation of the efficacy of meloxicam for post-operative management of pain and inflammation in horses after orthopaedic surgery in a placebo controlled clinical field trial.. BMC Vet Res 2015 May 15;11:113.
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