Name two commonly used analgesics in veterinary dentistry and their typical use.

• A. Buprenorphine for acute postoperative pain and meloxicam for cats.
• B. Tramadol as sole analgesic for dogs.
• C. Meloxicam for dogs and carprofen for cats.
• D. Carprofen for dogs and meloxicam for cats.

Answer: (D)

In veterinary dentistry, the pain from dental disease and after dental procedures is often managed with NSAIDs because they reduce inflammation and provide effective analgesia. The most common pairing reflects species-specific approvals and safety: carprofen for dogs and meloxicam for cats. Carprofen is a well-established NSAID used in dogs to control post‑operative dental pain and to help with inflammatory dental disease, offering reliable analgesia with a familiar safety profile in this species. Meloxicam is widely used in cats for acute dental pain and postoperative analgesia, where cats’ sensitivity to NSAIDs means dosing and monitoring are especially important; meloxicam is one of the NSAIDs routinely considered for feline dental analgesia.

The other options don’t align as well with standard veterinary dental practice. Some pair an NSAID with a brand-new or less typical feline or canine use, or rely on opioids as the sole analgesic when a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory is also appropriate for dental pain. The combination of carprofen for dogs and meloxicam for cats reflects the most common, readily used approach across both species.