Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE)

Dogs metabolize tramadol more effectively into its active metabolite (M1), resulting in superior analgesia compared to cats. Both species metabolize tramadol to an inactive metabolite, making it ineffective in both dogs and cats. Tramadol is a more reliable oral analgesic in cats because they produce higher levels of the active metabolite (O-desmethyltramadol) compared to dogs. The primary analgesic effect in both species is from serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibition, with the opioid effect being negligible.