Assessing the efficacy of perioperative oral carprofen after cranial cruciate surgery using noninvasive, objective pressure platform gait analysis

Objective - To document, using pressure platform gait analysis, the effect of perioperative oral carprofen on limb function and pain after cranial cruciate ligament surgery in dogs. Study design - Blinded, prospective clinical investigation. Animals - Twenty dogs with naturally occurring unilateral cranial cruciate disease. Procedure - Physiologic indices, subjective pain scoring, and pressure platform gait analyses were performed before and 24, 48, and 72 hours after surgery. Correlations were assessed between methods of evaluation and the data was compared across treatment groups. Results - No strong correlations were noted between physiologic data, subjective scoring systems, or gait analysis data at a walk or stance. Although average measures of limb function were nearly twice as large in dogs treated with carprofen, no significant differences between groups over time were identified. No significant differences were noted in any other measure of pain or limb function. Power analysis of peak vertical force at a walk indicated that significant difference would have been detected had the number of dogs in each group been increased to 35. Conclusion - When limb function was assessed with pressure platform gait analysis no statistical difference was noted between groups with respect to PVF and VI at a walk or stance, although average ground reaction forces for dogs in the carprofen group were greater than the traditional pain management group at all time points. Clinical Relevance - Oral carprofen appears to provide some benefit for the treatment of postoperative orthopedic pain.