Effect of Post-Operative Clothing, Bandage, and Collar Application on Stress After Ovariohysterectomy in Cats

Abstract

Ovariohysterectomy is a common surgical procedure in veterinary medicine, not only for reproductive control but also for conditions like pyometra, metritis, mammary tumors, and other reproductive disorders. Pain in cats occurs as a response of the body and is accompanied by various physiological and behavioral changes. Pain in cats, though prevalent, is often under-recognized and inadequately treated. The Glasgow pain scale is a psychometrically designed tool for assessing acute pain in veterinary patients. Serotonin (5-HT), a biogenic monoamine derived from tryptophan, functions as a mood-regulating neurotransmitter and may decrease following surgical interventions. This study aimed to evaluate post-operative pain and stress levels in female cats using the Glasgow pain scale and serum 5-HTmeasurements after different wound protection methods: bandage, Elizabethan collar, and postoperative clothing. A total of 60 healthy female cats aged 1–5 years, pre-treated for internal and external parasites, were randomly assigned into three equal groups. The same anesthetic, surgical, and postoperative care protocols were applied across all groups. As a result of this study, it was revealed with the Glasgow pain scale and 5-HT serotonin values that the use of collars in the postoperative period caused more stress in cats (p<0.05). In addition, the use of post-operative wound protection corset/clothing caused less stress than collars and bandages, as demonstrated by the Glasgow pain scale and 5-HTserotonin values (p<0.05). © 2025 Chulalongkorn University Printing House. All rights reserved.