Earlier this year, Elanco Companion Animal Health released a revolutionary pain medication called Recuvyra. This is a topical solution that provides post-operative pain control via its new transdermal (through the skin) delivery system. A single dose (1.2 mg/lb) applied behind the shoulder blades of a dog prior to surgery is designed to control pain for four days. Elanco says its new-patented drug delivery technology will reduce the need for home administration of analgesics, misuse and abuse of potent drugs and concerns with client compliance.
Recuvyra has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the control of post-operative pain associated with surgical procedures in dogs. The formulation contains the active ingredient fentanyl, a Class II controlled substance. In clinical trials, 98.4 percent of dogs treated with Recuvyra received effective pain control in orthopedic and soft tissues surgeries.
However, Elanco says dogs treated with Recuvyra should be isolated from children for 72 hours from the time of application. If contact occurs, the exposed area of the child’s body should not come in contact with the child’s mouth or eyes and the exposed area should be washed with soap and water. Adults are also advised to avoid contact with the application site for the 72-hour time span. If exposed to Recuvyra, the area should be washed with soap and water. Most of this is of no concern as a lot of patients that require Recuvyra also require multiple recovery days within the hospital.
Elanco says the use of Recuvyra is not advised for dogs with diseased or injured skin near the application site, dogs expected to have mild or absent perioperative pain, dogs with paralytic ileus and dogs with known hypersensitivity to fentanyl. The most common side effects seen following surgery in dogs were frequent or constant sleepiness, diarrhea, vomiting, low body temperature, abnormal heart rhythms, fever and lack of appetite. The most serious, but rare, potential side effect is gastrointestinal stasis with an increased risk of bacterial overgrowth.
The Orrville Veterinary Clinic is once again proud to be on the forefront of veterinary medicine. As a result, we have begun to use Recuvyra on every serious soft tissue surgery, as well as on every orthopedic surgery that we perform. This is part of our commitment and goal of being the best veterinary clinic in the Orrville, Wooster, Dalton, Rittman and surrounding areas. If you have questions about this medication or its use on your dog, we encourage you to contact our office at (330)682-2971
Article by Jenn Brown, edited by Dr. Jeff Fink
