Efficacy and Safety of Injectable Robenacoxib for the Treatment of Pain Associated With Soft Tissue Surgery in Dogs

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used routinely to control pain and inflammation after surgery in dogs. Robenacoxib is a cyclooxygenase-2 selective NSAID. Hypothesis/Objective: Assess the clinical efficacy and safety of an injectable formulation of robenacoxib in dogs undergoing surgery. Animals: Three hundred and seventeen client-owned dogs (N = 159 robenacoxib or N = 158 placebo). Methods: In this prospective, multicenter, randomized, masked, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, dogs received a SC injection of either robenacoxib, at a target dose of 2.0 mg/kg, or placebo once prior to surgery and for 2 additional days postoperatively. Pain assessments were performed using the short form of the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS-SF). The primary efficacy variable was treatment success/failure, with failure defined as the need for rescue therapy to control pain or withdrawal of the dog from the study due to an adverse event. Results: Significantly (P =.006) more dogs administered robenacoxib were considered treatment successes (108 of 151, 73.7%) compared to dogs given placebo (85 of 152, 58.1%). Total pain scores (P <.01), pain at the surgery sites (response to touch, P <.01), and posture/activity (P <.05) were significantly improved at 3, 5, and 8 hours postextubation in dogs receiving robenacoxib versus placebo. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Robenacoxib administered by SC injection prior to surgery and for 2 additional days postoperatively was effective and well tolerated in the control of postoperative pain and inflammation associated with soft tissue surgery in dogs.