Efficacy of lumbosacral and sacrococcygeal epidural ropivacaine in dogs undergoing surgery for perineal hernia.

Epidural anesthesia is commonly administered as part of balanced anesthesia for perioperative analgesia. The main goal of this randomized clinical trial was to compare the efficacy of two epidural approaches in dogs undergoing surgery for a perineal hernia. A secondary aim was to compare motor blockade. Intact ASA 1 and 2 male dogs, weighing ≤25 kg with no previous surgery for perineal hernia were enrolled. After premedication with IM acepromazine 0.02 mg/kg and butorphanol 0.3 mg/kg, general anesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with sevoflurane in oxygen. Dogs were randomly allocated to receive either a lumbosacral (LS, n = 30) or a sacrococcygeal (SC, n = 26) epidural injection with ropivacaine 1% (0.2 mL/kg) under computed tomography guidance. Successful analgesia was defined as no need of intraoperative rescue analgesia (fentanyl 3 µg/kg IV). Clinical failure was defined as the need of more than two boluses of fentanyl/h each dog received meloxicam 0.2 mg/kg IV at the end of the surgery. The Glasgow Composite Pain Scale short form (GCPS-SF), tactile sensitivity, pressure pain thresholds and motor blockade were assessed at 4, 6, 8, and 24 h after the epidural injection. Methadone (0.2 mg/kg, IV) was administered if the GCPS-SF was ≥6/24 points. Differences between groups were analyzed with the Mann-Whitney U test, Student's t-test or Fisher's Exact test, as appropriate. Success rate was assessed for non-inferiority between groups. The non-inferiority margin was set at -10%. Epidural analgesia was successful in 24 dogs in group LS and 17 dogs in group SC (p = 0.243), resulting in success rates of 80 and 65% in LS and SC groups, respectively. The non-inferiority of group SC versus group LS was confirmed. Clinical failure was recorded in two dogs in group LS and one dog in group SC. No significant differences between groups were detected in the GCPS-SF score, tactile sensitivity, pressure pain thresholds, need of post-operative methadone, or motor blockade. Both epidural techniques are valuable analgesic options for perineal hernia repair in dogs.

Effects of vatinoxan in dogs premedicated with medetomidine and butorphanol followed by sevoflurane anaesthesia: a randomized clinical study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects of vatinoxan in dogs, when administered as intravenous (IV) premedication with medetomidine and butorphanol before anaesthesia for surgical castration. STUDY DESIGN: A randomized, controlled, blinded, clinical trial. ANIMALS: A total of 28 client-owned dogs. METHODS: Dogs were premedicated with medetomidine (0.125 mg m-2) and butorphanol (0.2 mg kg-1) (group MB; n = 14), or medetomidine (0.25 mg m-2), butorphanol (0.2 mg kg-1) and vatinoxan (5 mg m-2) (group MB-VATI; n = 14). Anaesthesia was induced 15 minutes later with propofol and maintained with sevoflurane in oxygen (targeting 1.3%). Before surgical incision, lidocaine (2 mg kg-1) was injected intratesticularly. At the end of the procedure, meloxicam (0.2 mg kg-1) was administered IV. The level of sedation, the qualities of induction, intubation and recovery, and Glasgow Composite Pain Scale short form (GCPS-SF) were assessed. Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (fR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane (Fe'Sevo) and carbon dioxide (Pe'CO2) were recorded. Blood samples were collected at 10 and 30 minutes after premedication for plasma medetomidine and butorphanol concentrations. RESULTS: At the beginning of surgery, HR was 61 ± 16 and 93 ± 23 beats minute-1 (p = 0.001), and MAP was 78 ± 7 and 56 ± 7 mmHg (p = 0.001) in MB and MB-VATI groups, respectively. No differences were detected in fR, Pe'CO2, Fe'Sevo, the level of sedation, the qualities of induction, intubation and recovery, or in GCPS-SF. Plasma medetomidine concentrations were higher in group MB-VATI than in MB at 10 minutes (p = 0.002) and 30 minutes (p = 0.0001). Plasma butorphanol concentrations were not different between groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In group MB, HR was significantly lower than in group MB-VATI. Hypotension detected in group MB-VATI during sevoflurane anaesthesia was clinically the most significant difference between groups.

Gastric mucosal pathology in Belgian Shepherd dogs with and without clinical signs of gastric disease.

BACKGROUND: Gastric carcinoma (GC) is uncommon in dogs, except in predisposed breeds such as Belgian Shepherd dogs (BSD) of the Tervuren and Groenendael varieties. When GC is diagnosed in dogs it is often late in the disease, resulting in a poorer prognosis. The aim of this prospective clinical study was to investigate possible associations of gastric mucosal pathologies with clinical signs, laboratory test results and GC in BSD. An online survey gathered epidemiological data to generate potential risk factors for vomiting as the predominant gastric clinical sign, and supported patient recruitment for endoscopy. Canine Chronic Enteropathy Clinical Activity Index (CCECAI) score and signs of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) were used to allocate BSD older than five years to either Group A, with signs of gastric disease, or Group B, without signs. Findings in the clinical history, laboratory tests and gastric histopathology of endoscopic biopsies were statistically analysed in search of associations. RESULTS: The online survey included 232 responses. Logistic regression analysis recognized an association of vomiting with gagging, poor appetite and change in attitude. Recruitment for endoscopy included 16 BSD in Group A (mean age 9.1 ± 1.8 years, mean CCECAI = 3.1 ± 2.2 and signs of GER); and 11 in Group B (mean age 9.8 ± 1.4 years, CCECAI = 0, no signs of GER). Seven (25.9%) of the 27 BSD (Group A 4/16, Group B 3/11) had leukopenia. Serum C-reactive protein tended to be increased with more advanced GC (P = 0.063). Frequency of GC, mucosal atrophy, mucous metaplasia, or glandular dysplasia did not differ between groups. GC was frequently diagnosed (6/27), even without clinical signs (2/11). The odds ratio for vomiting (OR = 9.9; P = 0.016) was increased only when glandular dysplasia was present. GC was associated with mucous metaplasia (P = 0.024) and glandular dysplasia (P = 0.006), but not with mucosal atrophy (P = 1). CONCLUSIONS: GC can develop as an occult disease, associated with metaplasia and dysplasia of the gastric mucosa. Suggestive clinical signs, notably vomiting, should warrant timely endoscopy in BSD. Extensive endoscopic screening of asymptomatic dogs remains, however, unrealistic. Therefore, biomarkers of mucosal pathology preceding clinical illness are needed to support an indication for endoscopy and enable early diagnosis of GC.

Comparison of the effects of methadone and butorphanol combined with acepromazine for canine gastroduodenoscopy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of gastroduodenoscopy in dogs premedicated with acepromazine in combination with butorphanol or methadone. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-blinded clinical trial. ANIMALS: A group of 40 client-owned dogs. METHODS: Dogs were randomly allocated to one of two groups and give intramuscular acepromazine 0.02 mg kg-1 combined with either butorphanol 0.3 mg kg-1 (group ACEBUT) or methadone 0.2 mg kg-1 (group ACEMET). General anaesthesia was induced with propofol and ketamine and maintained with sevoflurane (2.3%) in oxygen. Cardiopulmonary variables were recorded at 5 minute intervals during anaesthesia. Feasibility of the entire gastroduodenoscopy was evaluated with a visual analogue scale (VAS) from 0 (best) to 100 (worst) (primary outcome of the study). Lower oesophageal sphincter dilatation and duodenal intubation were scored. Pylorus diameter was measured with standard endoscopic inflatable balloons. Overall cardiovascular stability was assessed during anaesthesia, using a VAS (0-100), as was the presence of fluid in the oesophagus, regurgitation, need for mechanical ventilation, and intraoperative and postoperative rescue analgesia (secondary outcomes of the study). Differences between treatments were analysed with Mann-Whitney U, Student t test, Fisher exact test or mixed model analysis of variance as appropriate. Subsequently, feasibility VAS of the gastroduodenoscopy was assessed for noninferiority between groups. The noninferiority margin was set as -10. RESULTS: All gastroduodenoscopies were successfully completed in both groups using an endoscope tip diameter of 12.8 mm in all but one dog. Feasibility of gastroduodenoscopy was evaluated as 2.9 ± 5.6 in group ACEBUT and 5.1 ± 5.8 in group ACEMET. No significant differences between groups were detected in any measured or assessed variables, and noninferiority was confirmed. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In our study population, the effects of methadone and butorphanol when combined with acepromazine were comparable.