Lack of effectiveness of tramadol for joint pain in dogs

Osteoarthritis is a common condition that affects>20% of the adult dog population, or approximately 14 million adult dogs in the United States. Tramadol, a weak μ-opioid receptor agonist that facilitates the descending serotonergic system, is commonly used in the treatment of osteoarthritis in dogs, despite unfavorable pharmacological findings and a lack of supportive clinical data. Two major metabolites of tramadol, O-desmethytramadol and N,O-didesmethylt ramadol, are credited with its pharmacological effects.
Source: Advances in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery - Category: Veterinary Research Tags: Surgery (Orthopedics) Source Type: research