Analgesic Effect of Butorphanol during Castration in Donkeys under Total Intravenous Anaesthesia.

Pain management is necessary for all surgical procedures. Little scientific evidence about drug efficacy in donkeys is available. The aim of this study was to evaluate the analgesic effect of butorphanol in donkeys undergoing orchiectomy under total intravenous anaesthesia with guaifenesin-ketamine-detomidine. A randomized blinded prospective clinical trial (Protocol n. 2021/0000338), was carried out on 18 clinically healthy donkeys undergoing bilateral orchiectomy. Patients were assigned to Group D (n = 8) or Group DB (n = 10) if receiving intravenous detomidine or detomidine-butorphanol respectively, before induction of general anaesthesia with ketamine-diazepam. Intraoperative muscle relaxation, nystagmus, palpebral reflex, heart and respiratory rate, and non-invasive blood pressure were evaluated every 2 min; time to prepare the patient, duration of surgery and anaesthesia and recovery score were recorded. Group D had significantly longer surgical time, higher heart rate, higher systolic and mean blood pressure (p < 0.05; repeated measure ANOVA), increased muscle rigidity and expression of palpebral reflex (p < 0.05; Mann-Whitney U test) than group DB. Top-ups with thiopental were statistically higher in Group D. Butorphanol and detomidine together produced a more stable anaesthetic plan. The low dosage of opioid and alpha-2-agonists and reduced rescue anaesthesia are responsible for a safer and more superficial anaesthesia, which is mandatory under field conditions.

Analgesic effects of intravenous flunixin and intrafunicular lidocaine or their combination for castration of lambs.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the effectiveness of intrafunicular lidocaine and intravenous flunixin for reducing pain and signs of stress in lambs undergoing surgical castration. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: One university teaching hospital in Italy. PARTICIPANTS: 30 healthy male lambs, 9-12 weeks old. INTERVENTION: Allocation to five groups: a control group (C), undergoing general anaesthesia but not castration; a surgery group (S), undergoing orchiectomy without analgesic treatment; a surgery-lidocaine group (SL), undergoing orchiectomy and receiving intrafunicular 2 per cent lidocaine solution; a surgery-flunixin group (SF), undergoing orchiectomy and receiving intravenous flunixin; a surgery-flunixin-lidocaine group (SFL), undergoing orchiectomy and receiving both intrafunicular lidocaine and intravenous flunixin. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nociception and stress were assessed through intraoperative indicators, serum cortisol concentration, glycaemia, behaviour, immune response and clinical evaluation of the heart rate (HR), respiratory rate and rectal temperature after surgery. RESULTS: Groups S and SL showed increased values of intraoperative HR, mean arterial pressure and postoperative cortisol concentration. In group SFL, cortisol values were similar to those of group C. No other difference could be detected. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of intravenous flunixin and intrafunicular lidocaine reduced the pain and discomfort of lambs castrated under general anaesthesia. Intrafunicular lidocaine alone did not prevent pain or discomfort associated with castration. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: 30/2012/CEISA/COM.

Long-Term Outcome of En Bloc Extensive Resection of the Penis and Prepuce Associated with a Permanent Perineal Urethrostomy in a Gelding Affected by Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

A 15-year-old gelding was referred for a florid, cauliflower-like ulcerated mass, enclosing penis and prepuce together with penile urethra showing a malodorous purulent and blood-stained discharge and larvae infestation. En bloc extensive resection of the penis and prepuce, without penile retroversion or pexy to ventral abdomen associated with a permanent perineal urethrostomy, was performed. Histology of the mass revealed a squamous cell carcinoma of penis and prepuce. The surgical technique that was adopted is a modified version of that already described that allows a more proximal resection of the penile body and is a valid option for treating advanced SCC lesions involving the penis. Early postsurgical complications (mild strangury, haemorrhage from the urethrostomy site and its partial dehiscence, and infection of the abdominal wound) were managed with a medical treatment and resolved within 5 to 12 days. Three years after surgery the horse is in good body condition and does not show any sign of recurrence or disorders related to the surgery.

Laparoscopic-assisted cystotomy and cystostomy for treatment of cystic calculus in a gelding.

OBJECTIVE: To report laparoscopic-assisted cystotomy and inguinal cystostomy for treating bladder urolithiasis in a gelding. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical report. ANIMALS: Twelve-year-old Appaloosa gelding. METHODS: A laparoscopic approach was used to locate and grasp the bladder, which was exteriorized through an enlarged instrument portal for cystotomy to remove the calculus. During withdrawal, the calculus fragmented into multiple pieces. To avoid urethral occlusion and facilitate elimination of these fragments, an inguinal cystostomy was created. The seromuscular layer of the bladder was circumferentially secured to the abdominal fascia and bladder mucosa margins were sutured to the skin. RESULTS: At 2-year follow-up, the gelding was in good condition with mild urine scald of the left ventral abdomen. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic-assisted cystotomy was used for calculus removal and inguinal cystostomy for successful fragment elimination.