Pain Control for Spay Surgery in Cats

Brondani JT, Loureiro Luna SP, Beier SL, Minto BW, Padovani CR. Analgesic efficacy of perioperative use of vedaprofen, tramadol or their combination in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy. J Feline Med Surg 2009; 11: 420-9.

Veterinarians now recognize that preventive pain control is beneficial for cats undergoing surgery, providing comfort and faster recoveries. One of the most common feline surgeries is the ovariohysterectomy or spay. The researchers investigated the efficacy of two drugs, tramadol and vedaprofen, in 40 female cats undergoing spay surgery. The cats were divided into four treatment groups: vedaprofen only, tramadol only, vedaprofen plus tramadol, and placebo. Medications were administered one hour before surgery and for 72 hours after surgery. Pain scores were evaluated at regular intervals for the first 96 hours and then on day 7 after surgery. Cats with high pain scores were given rescue analgesia with morphine. Cats treated with vedaprofen and tramadol together did not require rescue analgesia and proved to be the most effective option evaluated. Multimodal analgesia is known to be a superior method of pain control and proved effective for cats undergoing spay surgery. The researchers recommended that pain control should be provided for a minimum of three days after spay surgery. [SL]
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Related articles:
Slingsby L, Waterman-Pearson A. Postoperative analgesia in the cat after ovariohysterectomy by use of carprofen, ketoprofen, meloxicam or tolfenamic acid. J Small Anim Pract 2000; 41: 447-450.
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Tobias KM, Harvey RC, Byarlay JM. A comparison of four methods of analgesia in cats following ovariohysterectomy. Vet Anaesth Analg 2006; 33: 390-8.
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Care Guidelines for Spay-Neuter Programs

Looney, A. L., M. W. Bohling, et al. (2008). "The Association of Shelter Veterinarians veterinary medical care guidelines for spay-neuter programs." J Am Vet Med Assoc 233(1): 74-86.

Increasing attention has been focused on spay/neuter programs as tools for reduction of the euthanasia of unwanted and unowned cats (and dogs). There are many different types of programs in operation, such as mobile clinics, shelter services, feral cat programs, and various veterinarian-supported low cost programs. Many spay-neuter programs have been established to provide quality spay-neuter services to large numbers of cats and dogs. The proliferation and diversity of these programs has created a need for guidelines for appropriate veterinary medical care in these settings. The Association of Shelter Veterinarians convened a task force consisting of 22 veterinarians from every region of the United States in December 2006. The guidelines they developed consist of recommendations for preoperative care, anesthetic management, surgical care, and postoperative care and are based on current principles of anesthesiology, critical care medicine, microbiology, and surgical practice, as determined by means of reviews of the scientific literature and expert opinion.
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Related articles:
Hughes, K. L., M. R. Slater, et al. (2002). "The effects of implementing a feral cat spay/neuter program in a Florida county animal control service." J Appl Anim Welf Sci 5(4): 285-98.
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Vaccination of Kittens at the Time of Surgery

Reese, M. J., E. V. Patterson, et al. (2008). "Effects of anesthesia and surgery on serologic responses to vaccination in kittens." Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 233(1): 116-121.

There are many potential situations where it is desirable to vaccinate kittens at the time of spay or neuter surgery, such as in shelter situations where compliance with post-adoption recommendations is poor. Shelters commonly spay or neuter kittens at or near the time of vaccination. However, the effects of anesthesia and surgery on the immune response of kittens to vaccination is unknown. In this prospective controlled trial, 32 specific-pathogen free kittens were assigned to 1 of 4 groups: neutering at 7, 8, 9 weeks of age, or no neutering. All kittens received a modified live virus vaccine against feline herpesvirus (FHV), feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) at 8, 11, and 14 weeks of age. Rabies vaccine was administered at 14 weeks of age. Serum antibody titers against FHV, FCV, FPV and rabies were determined at various time points. Serologic responses of kittens spayed or neutered at the time of vaccination were not different from the other groups. Importantly, many kittens that were last vaccinated at 14 weeks of age had inadequate antibody titers at 17 weeks. The researchers conclude that kittens may be vaccinated in the perioperative period when necessary, and the last vaccination should be given no earlier than 16 weeks of age.
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Related articles:
Poulet, H. (2007). "Alternative early life vaccination programs for companion animals." J Comp Pathol 137 Suppl 1: S67-71.
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Richards, J. R., T. H. Elston, et al. (2006). "The 2006 American Association of Feline Practitioners Feline Vaccine Advisory Panel report." J Am Vet Med Assoc 229(9): 1405-41.
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Differentiating Spayed from Intact Queens

Axnner, E., T. Gustavsson, et al. (2008). "Estradiol measurement after GnRH-stimulation as a method to diagnose the presence of ovaries in the female domestic cat." Theriogenology 70(2): 186-191.

Spaying is routinely recommended for population control in cats, as well as for specific health benefits and to avoid unwanted behaviors. It can be difficult to determine if a queen with an unknown history and no estrous activity is spayed or intact. In addition, one of the most common feline reproductive problems encountered by practicing veterinarians is ovarian remnant syndrome. A test that differentiates intact from spayed queens would be valuable. A commercially available luteinizing hormone assay (Witness LH, Synbiotics) has been marketed for this purpose, but is not available world-wide. GnRH induces release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and LH from the pituitary gland. FSH stimulates estradiol production by granulosa cells in ovarian follicles. The aim of this study was to evaluate if it is possible to differentiate between spayed and sexually inactive intact queens by measurement of plasma estradiol before and/or after stimulation with a GnRH-analogue, buserelin (Receptal, Intervet). Two groups of female cats (11 spayed, 11 intact) were treated with buserelin after baseline measurement of plasma estradiol and progesterone. A second blood sample was collected two hours later. Median estradiol increased after stimulation with buserelin in intact but not in spayed females. There was no overlap between the two groups of cats. Measurement of plasma estradiol concentration 2 hours after stimulation with a GnRH-analogue seems to be a reliable method to diagnose the presence of ovarian tissue in the female cat.