Canine
Update (June 16, 2026): Two RCTs Support a Visceral-Analgesia Role for Maropitant in Canine Ovariohysterectomy
TL;DR. Two new randomized trials in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy report that maropitant blunts the intraoperative nociceptive response and lowers postoperative pain scores, supporting an analgesic role beyond its established antiemetic action.
What just dropped
- Randomized trial in bitches undergoing ovariohysterectomy (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2024.105179): compared with meloxicam, maropitant provided more effective visceral analgesia, with significantly lower pain scores, though no difference in the anti-inflammatory marker.
- Randomized trial using parasympathetic-tone monitoring (https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13211541): a constant-rate infusion of maropitant citrate reduced the sympathetic response related to nociception, similar to lidocaine, in female dogs during ovariohysterectomy.
Context
Maropitant (Cerenia) is a neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonist best known as an antiemetic. Because substance P and the NK1 receptor also participate in nociceptive signaling, there has been longstanding interest in whether maropitant contributes to perioperative analgesia, particularly for visceral pain that is poorly controlled by some conventional agents.
In the Bozkurt 2024 study, 36 bitches were randomized to maropitant, meloxicam, or control. Rescue analgesia was not required in any animal, but pain scores in the maropitant group were significantly lower than in the other groups (p < 0.05), and the authors concluded maropitant provided more effective visceral analgesia than meloxicam; C-reactive protein did not differ significantly between groups. In the Ramirez-Castillo 2026 study, 30 dogs were randomized to a maropitant infusion or a lidocaine infusion, and only the maropitant group showed a significant fall in the parasympathetic-tone energy variable, with the authors concluding maropitant reduced the nociception-related sympathetic response comparably to lidocaine.
What this changes in maropitant (Cerenia) for vomiting in dogs and cats (https://www.thevoyage.ai/forvets/knowledge/maropitant-dogs-cats-vomiting)
These trials add controlled, prospective support for a perioperative analgesic adjunct role for maropitant in soft-tissue surgery, distinct from its labeled antiemetic indication. They are small single-procedure studies and do not establish maropitant as a standalone analgesic or change any approved dosing, which remains a label and formulary decision, but they strengthen the mechanistic and clinical rationale already noted on the evergreen.
Voyage Clinical Desk
From clinical question to SOAP draft -- cited differentials, live dose calculators, owner handouts. Trained on the veterinary canon (Plumb's, Ettinger, JVIM, ACVIM consensus, 50,000+ indexed references). First answer free, no signup.
Open Voyage Clinical Desk: https://www.thevoyage.ai/forvets/ask?context=update-2026-06-16-maropitant-visceral-analgesia-ovh
References
- Bozkurt G, Kaya F, Yildiz M. Does maropitant provide more effective perioperative pain management than meloxicam in bitches undergoing ovariohysterectomy? Res Vet Sci. 2024;169:105179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2024.105179
- Ramirez-Castillo A, et al. Assessment of Maropitant Citrate Effectiveness as an Intraoperative Analgesic Through Monitoring Parasympathetic Tone Activity in Female Dogs Undergoing Ovariohysterectomy. Vet Sci. 2026;13(5):463. https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13211541
Related reads
References
- Bozkurt G, Kaya F, Yildiz M. Does maropitant provide more effective perioperative pain management than meloxicam in bitches undergoing ovariohysterectomy? Res Vet Sci. 2024. (2024)
- Ramirez-Castillo A, et al. Assessment of Maropitant Citrate Effectiveness as an Intraoperative Analgesic Through Monitoring Parasympathetic Tone Activity in Female Dogs Undergoing Ovariohysterectomy. Vet Sci. 2026. (2026)
More clinical updates
Update (June 17, 2026): Adjunctive FMT Reduces Lesion Severity and Medication Use in Canine Atopic Dermatitis — First RCT
A June 2026 double-blinded RCT (40 dogs) found adjunctive faecal microbiota transplantation reduced CADESI-04 scores and medication requirements in cAD versus placebo.
Read →Update (June 17, 2026): Lymph Food RCT Improves Lesion Scores and Reduces Medication Use in Dogs with Atopic Dermatitis
Frizzo-Ramos 2025 (112-day RCT, 38 dogs): lymph food supplement added to standard cAD care reduced CADESI-4 by 55% vs +26% placebo (p<0.0003) and cut medication use.
Read →Update (June 17, 2026): Bedinvetmab Plus Physiotherapy Outperforms Bedinvetmab Alone on Pain Threshold in Dogs With Hip OA
Cidral 2026 RCT (30 dogs): bedinvetmab + photobiomodulation/PEMF superior to bedinvetmab alone on algometry from Day 30 (p=0.027), more pronounced at D60-90 (p<0.001).
Read →Update (June 17, 2026): Survey of 373 Vets Finds Wide Canine OA Practice Variation — Bedinvetmab Paresis/Ataxia Signal at 31%
Bird 2026 survey (373 vets): NSAIDs dominate canine OA Rx; bedinvetmab perceived neurological AEs at 31%; grapiprant GI AEs (diarrhea 33%, vomiting 31%) most reported.
Read →