Comparison of the Analgesic Efficacy of Intraperitoneal Ketorolac and Tramadol on Pain and Stress Indices Following Ovariohysterectomy in Rabbits

Objective: Effective postoperative pain management is a fundamental principle in veterinary medicine, playing a crucial role in stabilizing physiological status, attenuating stress responses, and enhancing animal welfare. This study aimed to compare the analgesic efficacy of intraperitoneally administered tramadol and ketorolac on pain and stress indices following ovariohysterectomy (OHE) in rabbits.
Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 15 adult female New Zealand White rabbits (1900–2500 g). Animals were randomly assigned to three groups (n=5 per group): a control group, a tramadol group (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal), and a ketorolac group (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). Following OHE, physiological parameters, including heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and rectal temperature, were recorded at 0, 2, and 6 hours post-surgery. Serum cortisol, glucose, and melatonin concentrations were measured at the same time points. Postoperative pain intensity was assessed using the Rabbit Grimace Scale (RGS) at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.26, utilizing ANOVA, Tukey’s post-hoc test, and the Kruskal–Wallis test, with significance set at p < 0.05.
The results indicated that HR and RR were significantly influenced by both treatment and time (p < 0.05), whereas rectal temperature variations were primarily time-dependent. Serum cortisol and glucose levels peaked 2 hours post-surgery and declined by 6 hours (p < 0.001). Regarding behavioral pain assessment, both tramadol and ketorolac significantly reduced RGS scores compared to the control group at 3 and 6 hours post-surgery (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Intraperitoneal administration of tramadol and ketorolac effectively attenuates postoperative pain