Risk of anesthesia-related complications in draft horses: a retrospective, single-center analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To report anesthetic-related complications and determine risks associated with anesthesia in draft horses. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: A total of 401 anesthetic records for draft horse breeds that underwent general anesthesia from January 2010 through December 2020 were reviewed; horses euthanized during general anesthesia were excluded. METHODS: Demographics, perioperative drugs used, procedure type and duration, time to extubation, number of attempts to stand, use of sling in recovery and perioperative morbidity and mortality were investigated. Morbidity and mortality statistical evaluation included univariable logistic regression analysis and ordinal regression analysis. RESULTS: American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status I-II, ASA III-V and total mortality rate for all cases was 0.69% (2/288), 6.19% (7/113) and 2.24% (9/401), respectively, with Belgian horses being overrepresented (6/9). Cardiac arrest occurred in six out of nine horses that died without euthanasia, and five out of six of these horses underwent colic surgery. Factors associated with increased mortality risk included ASA status of III-V, increased body weight, emergency status and horses presenting for colic. Hypotension, hypercarbia and hypoxemia occurred in 56% (224/401), 46% (186/401) and 14% (58/401) of horses, respectively. During recovery from anesthesia, lighter horses and horses undergoing shorter anesthetic procedures were more likely to be successful on the first or second attempt to stand and were less likely to require a sling in recovery. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Draft horses undergoing general anesthesia had a higher mortality rate than previously reported for all types and breeds of horses.

Intravenous dexmedetomidine, morphine, or a combination can result in gallbladder wall thickening; with no significant association with plasma histamine concentrations.

The gallbladder is routinely evaluated during ultrasonographic examinations in dogs. However, published studies describing the effects of sedative agents on gallbladder wall thickness are currently lacking. The aims of this prospective, blinded, randomized crossover pilot study were to test hypotheses that IV morphine would result in gallbladder wall thickening, that morphine administration would increase plasma histamine concentrations, and that combining IV morphine with dexmedetomidine would potentiate gallbladder wall thickening. Six healthy Beagle dogs were sedated with intravenous (IV) morphine 0.4 mg/kg (group M), dexmedetomidine 7 µg/kg (group D), or a combination of the two (group MD). Physiologic parameters were measured at baseline and at regular intervals until the last ultrasonographic scan. Ultrasonographic scans were performed at baseline, 90 s, and at 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min. Plasma histamine samples were taken at baseline, 90 s, and 5 and 60 min. Cochran's Q-test was used to compare gallbladder wall thickening between groups, while the association between histamine plasma concentration and gallbladder wall thickness was compared with a mixed-effects model. Baseline gallbladder wall thickness was not significantly different between groups. Six of 18 treatments/dogs (33%) developed gallbladder thickening, with no difference between groups. There was no significant difference in baseline plasma histamine concentrations between groups, and no association between plasma histamine concentration and gallbladder wall thickness. Gallbladder wall thickening was observed in at least one dog in each group, therefore caution is recommended for gallbladder wall thickness ultrasonographic interpretation in dogs when these drugs have been administered.

A retrospective comparison of two analgesic strategies after uncomplicated tibial plateau levelling osteotomy in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and side effects of postoperative methadone administered according to pain score (PS) or every 4 hours (Q4), after unilateral uncomplicated tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) in dogs in which a peripheral nerve block (PNB) was administered. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, case-control study. ANIMALS: Clinical records of dogs that underwent a TPLO in 2015 were retrieved; 136 out of 174 dogs were included: 52 assigned to group PS, 84 to group Q4. METHODS: In group PS, methadone was administered according to the short form of the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS-SF), whereas in group Q4 methadone was administered at 4 hour intervals. Demographic data, anaesthetic technique, surgery time, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, PNB performed, local anaesthetic used and dose, anti-inflammatory drugs administered, end-expiratory fraction of isoflurane, perioperative opioid consumption, time to first postoperative methadone administration, pain scores, time to first pain score, food intake, number of postoperative observations, presence/absence of specific keywords representing the general state and behaviour of the animal, use of the operated limb and reaction to wound palpation were retrieved. Fisher's exact test, chi-square test, Student t test or Mann-Whitney U test were used, considering p<0.05 significant. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated, when indicated. RESULTS: Four times more methadone was administered to dogs in group Q4, and whilst not having lower pain scores or better short-term outcome (e.g. toe-touching and weight bearing), were 23.42 times (1.37 to 400.40) more likely to vomit, 3.76 (1.50 to 9.49) more likely to vocalize, and their food intake was 38% less than dogs in group PS. No dogs in group PS vomited postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Administration of methadone Q4 caused more side effects than administration guided by CMPS-SF. This should be considered when planning postoperative analgesia in dogs undergoing uncomplicated TPLO and in which a PNB has been performed.