Uso de Metadona em gatos: revisão de literatura

Abstract

Domestic cats have particularities in several aspects when compared to other animals and therefore need specific care. Because they present different behaviors, it is difficult to identify the pain of these animals, which is often not treated appropriately. This work was carried out based on a literature review on the use of methadone in cats. Opioids are natural or synthetic drugs indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. Methadone is a full agonist opioid that belongs to the diphenylpyraline class and binds to opioid receptors and has an antagonistic action on N-metil-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, which makes this drug efficient in treating pain. In cats, the suggested dose is 0.2 mg/kg to 0.6 mg/kg intravenously, intramuscularly or orally transmucosally. Due to fewer side effects, this medication has been used more frequently for analgesia in cats. With this wok it is concluded that the use of methadone in cats has potential beneficial effect and it is up to the veterinarian to carefully evaluate it in rder to create a specific and reliable protocol in this species.