Comparison of subarachnoid administration of low-dose bupivacaine and lidocaine in healthy goats.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the effects of low-dose subarachnoid injections of 2% lidocaine (LIDO) and 0.5% bupivacaine (BUPI) in goats. ANIMALS: 6 healthy, privately owned female goats. METHODS: In this randomized blind crossover clinical trial, each goat received 0.05 mL/kg-1 of LIDO, BUPI, or sterile saline solution into the lumbosacral subarachnoid space, with a seven-day washout. Cardiorespiratory variables, rectal temperature, and somatosensory (pinprick) and motor (ataxia) functions were recorded at baseline (time 0) and 2, 5, 10, 15, and 30 minutes after injection, then every 20 minutes until the goat was standing and able to walk. Time to regain somatosensory and motor functions was compared between treatments using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the Cox proportional hazards model. Linear mixed-effects models were used to compare cardiorespiratory variables between treatments and over time. A P value ≤ .05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Somatosensory recovery was longer with BUPI, though not statistically significant. The median time to stand was 50 (50, 67) minutes after LIDO injection and 104 (101, 156) minutes after BUPI injection (P = .031). The median time to walk was 72 (54, 85) minutes after LIDO versus 225 (220, 245) minutes after BUPI injection (P = .031). Cardiovascular and respiratory variables showed no significant differences between treatments. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Despite prolonged ataxia with BUPI, pinprick sensation recovery did not differ. At reduced doses, both LIDO and BUPI are deemed acceptable for short procedures of the flank, pelvic limb, or tail in healthy goats.

Lumbosacral intrathecal lidocaine provides adequate analgesia for cesarean sections in goats: 7 cases (2020-2021).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the analgesic efficacy of lumbosacral intrathecal administration of 2% lidocaine in goats undergoing cesarean sections (C-sections). ANIMALS: 7 client-owned goats. PROCEDURES: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to identify records of goats undergoing C-sections between January 2020 and November 2021 with intrathecal administration of lidocaine as the primary method of analgesia. Effect of analgesia, American Society of Anesthesiologists status, quality of surgery (determined based on lack of patient movement), mean surgical time, time to stand, and anesthetic complications were recorded. RESULTS: Intrathecal administration of preservative-free 2% lidocaine (1 mg/kg) at the lumbosacral space with the use of a 20-gauge 3.5-inch (0.9 X 90-mm) spinal needle under aseptic technique achieved effective analgesia in sedated goats by time of skin incision. Adequacy of analgesia was complete (failure to respond to needle-prick of skin or skin incision) in 6 of the 7 goats and moderate in 1 goat. Quality of surgery was adequate in all goats. Mean surgical time was 96 ± 20 minutes, and mean time to stand was 182 ± 61 minutes from the time of intrathecal administration. Complications included ruminal tympany, hypothermia, and partial blockade in 1 goat each. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that intrathecal administration of lidocaine as described in the present report provided adequate analgesia for C-sections in goats, with minimal complications, and quicker return to hindlimb motor function postoperatively than historically reported for epidurals.

Case studies of compounded Tramadol use in cats.

Medical therapy for pain management is limited in the feline patient and offers many challenges to the practitioner. Issues that have to be considered for feline pain management are metabolic differences, concurrent illnesses, and drug administration problems. Common pain management therapies used in cats are opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, local blocks, anticonvulsants (gabapentin and pregabalin), and tricyclic antidepressants, which offer an adjunctive effect with other drug therapies. While nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use has a low risk of side effects in many cats, extreme caution is warranted in certain situations and completely contraindicated in others. Tramadol is a synthetic opioid that has scarcely been researched in cats, although its clinical use appears beneficial. Benefits of the compounded tramadol product over the commercially available film-coated tablets include palatability and more accurate dosing for the feline species. This article discusses tramadol, provides a brief literature review on tramadol studies, provides case reports documenting the use of tramadol in each case, and provides a compounded tramadol oral suspension formula for use in felines.