Drug approved for pain relief after dog knee surgery

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The Food and Drug Administration approved in August a drug for local pain relief in dogs following knee surgery.

The drug, bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension, is expected to be sold to veterinarians this fall under the trade name Nocita, according to an announcement from the drug’s sponsor, Aratana Therapeutics. The announcement predicts the drug “will help transform the way veterinarians control post-operative pain for dogs undergoing cranial cruciate ligament surgery in dogs.”

The drug is approved for administration as a single treatment in tissue layers during surgical closure and is expected to provide pain relief for up to 72 hours after surgery, according to an FDA statement about the approval. It notes that the most common adverse reactions include discharge and inflammation at the surgical site, vomiting, “abnormal” urine, increases in serum alkaline phosphatase activity, and fever.