Journal watch13 January 2026
Author(s): M. Salichs, A. Blasco, L. Badiella, C. Costa-Farré, P. Sousa and J. Homedes
Published in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Date: October 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.08.0519
Type of access: Open access (click for full article)
Our summary
Salichs, M. et al. (2025) Efficacy of enflicoxib for postoperative pain and inflammation in soft tissue surgery in dogs: a multicenter and randomized clinical field trial. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
The aim of this noninferiority, prospective and blinded study was to evaluate the efficacy of a single dose of enflicoxib to daily carprofen in the management of postoperative pain and inflammation in dogs undergoing soft tissue surgery.
Dogs were enrolled from 26 practices presented for soft tissue surgery in France and Spain. A study population of 210 dogs were randomly allocated to receive either carprofen (n=105 dogs) or enflicoxib (n=105 dogs).
The day prior to surgery, dogs in the enflicoxib group (EG) were given a single dose of enflicoxib 8 mg/kg (Daxocox tablet) and dogs in the carprofen group (CG) were administered a placebo tablet. On the day the surgery was performed (day 0), CG dogs were given a dose of carprofen 4 mg/kg (Rimadyl injection) and EG dogs received a placebo. From day 1-5 (post-surgery), EG dogs received a placebo tablet and CG dogs received carprofen 4 mg/kg (Rimadyl tablet). Both treatments were mixed with food and administered orally by the owner at home every 24 hours. Pet owners were not blinded because the placebo tablet was similar to enflicoxib in appearance but not to carprofen.
Treatment efficacy was assessed by the same clinician at each practice, this included assessment of pain and inflammation on day 0 at 2, 5 and 8 hours; and on day 1, 2, 3 and 5. Pain was assessed by the verified pain scoring method – short form of the Glasgow Composite Pain Scale (SF-GCPS), and level of inflammation at the surgical wound was assessed with a visual analog scale. Owners assessed the dogs’ wellbeing from day 1-5, using a numerical rating scale for reporting on demeanour, mobility, and quality of analgesia.
Any dog needing postoperative rescue analgesia would be considered a nonresponder to treatment but remained in the study and continued to be assessed at the required time point.
Over 90% of dogs from both groups were comfortable after surgery indicating a response to treatment (96/105 and 98/105 of EG and CG dogs, respectively). However, 9/105 (8.6%) EG dogs and 7/105 (6.7%) CG dogs required rescue analgesia, indicating the need for close monitoring for signs of pain. There were no significant differences in the level of inflammation at the surgical wound between treatments. Similarly, assessment of dogs’ wellbeing from owners were reported to be almost equal between treatments. Reports of adverse incidents from the treatment groups were very low and with no differences between them.
Limitations of the study include the requirement for the eligible study population to meet the strict study inclusion and exclusion criteria which may not be applicable to the generalised canine population. Therefore, the results need to be interpreted with caution. In addition, the study was part-funded by Ecuphar Veterinaria SLU (Animalcare Group) and the role of two of the authors employed by the company was not clearly stated.
Take home
This was a clearly reported study which provides some evidence of the safety and effectiveness of a single dose of enflicoxib to provide similar management of postoperative pain and wound site inflammation to daily doses of carprofen. The results of this study may provide an alternative for pet owners struggling to administer daily medications.
The following may also be of interest
Journal club: Efficacy and safety of enflicoxib for treatment of canine osteoarthritis. [RCVS Knowledge] [Online] Available from: https://www.rcvsknowledge.org/resource/efficacy-and-safety-of-enflicoxib-for-treatment-of-canine-osteoarthritis/ [Accessed 13 January 2026]
Journal club: 2022 AAHA Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. [RCVS Knowledge] [Online] Available from: https://www.rcvsknowledge.org/resource/2022-aaha-pain-management-guidelines-for-dogs-and-cats-jc/ [Accessed 13 January 2026]
Evidence collection: Quality of life assessment tools. [RCVS Knowledge] [Online] Available from: https://www.rcvsknowledge.org/resource/quality-of-life-assessment-tools/ [Accessed 13 January 2026]
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