Analgesic Effects of Acupuncture Compared to Tramadol and Meloxicam in Cats Undergoing Ovariohysterectomy

Background: Acupuncture has analgesic effects in animals. Common analgesics, such as opioids and anti-inflammatory drugs, are widely used to control postoperative pain in cats, but they can cause serious side effects. On the other hand, acupuncture can play a crucial role in replacing this kind of drug. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the analgesic effects of acupuncture compared to tramadol and meloxicam on postoperative pain in cats after ovariohysterectomy. Methods: Forty-five adult stray cats were randomly distributed into three groups of fifteen animals each: TR: Tramadol (2 mg/kg IV) administered before anesthesia induction; ML: Meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg SC) administered after placement of the last skin suture; AC: Bilateral acupoints from kidney 11 (KI-11) to kidney 17 (KI-17) were stimulated. Postoperative pain was evaluated using the revised Glasgow composite pain scale-Feline and UNESP-Botucatu multidimensional composite pain scale (MCPS) up to 24 h after surgery. Rescue analgesia was provided intramuscularly with tramadol (2 mg/kg). Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis, Fisher’s exact probability test, and Friedman test. P<0.05 is considered significant. Results: Mean pain scores did not significantly differ among groups at any time point (P>0.05). The pain score and prevalence of rescue analgesia did not differ from the treatment groups over 24 h. Conclusion: Based on this study, analgesic effects of acupuncture were like tramadol and meloxicam during the first 24 h after Ovariohysterectomy in cats.