Fentanyl patch versus tramadol for the control of postoperative pain in canine ovariectomy and mastectomy

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the postoperative analgesic efficacy of fentanyl patches versus subcutaneous tramadol after canine ovariectomy, with and without unilateral mastectomy

COMPARISON BETWEEN SPLASH BLOCK VERSUS INJECTION OF LIDOCAINE ON THE OVARIAN PEDICLE IN CANINE OVARIECTOMY

Ovariectomy is a surgery with medium level of pain and requires an effective analgesic technique. Multimodal analgesia, including drugs administered both systemically and locally, is considered the most effective approach to providing pain relief and has been widely accepted in medicine veterinary medicine to control intraoperative pain (Acquafredda et al., 2021). Splash block is an analgesic technique already described by several authors in domestic animals, which consists of an irrigation of lidocaine in the ovarian pedicle to improve local analgesia during ovariectomy (Cicirelli et al., 2022). Furthermore, Grubb and Loprise (2020) describe direct infiltration of the ovarian pedicle with lidocaine. To our knowledge, the use of lidocaine infiltrated on the canine pedicle during ovariectomy has not yet been evaluated, or compared with other analgesic techniques. Although it is to be expected that additional local anaesthesia confer better analgesia, the aim of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of splash block versus the infiltration of lidocaine on the ovarian pedicle in bitches ovariectomy. Forty bitches of various breeds presented for ovariectomy were involved to this study after obtaining informed owner consent. After general examinations, all the dogs had a thoracic radiograph, abdominal ultrasound scan, and routine blood tests. Thus, the bitches were allocated to the very low aesthetic risk class (ASA 1) and randomly assigned in two groups (n=20) to receive topical irrigation (splash block) of 2% lidocaine (C group) on both ovarian pedicle (2 mg/kg each), or an equal volume of lidocaine infiltrated in the same sites (R group). This study was approved by the Ethics Committee for animal testing–CESA of the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Bari Aldo Moro. The same surgical team performed all ovariectomy, in full compliance with the leges artis. In C group, prior to manipulation of the ovarian pedicles, 2% lidocaine was dripped on the ovarian pedicle (2 mg/kg each) using a catheter urinary (splash block). In R group, 2% lidocaine was infiltrated on the ovarian pedicle (2 mg/kg each) using a 2.5 mL syringe (23-G). Following lidocaine application, surgical manipulation was stopped for 90 seconds. Before the first incision, the hemodynamic parameters of all animals (preincisional values of heart, respiratory and blood non invasive pressure values) were recorded to evaluate pain responses to the surgical stimulus. These parameters were registered at six phases of the study: grasping of the ovary (time 1), dissection of the mesosalpinx (time 2), tightening of the first loop ligature (time 3), tightening of the second loop ligature (time 4), transection of the ovarian pedicle (time 5) and release of the ovary (time 6). Repeated-measures ANOVA showed no significant differences in heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure values between groups, neither during lidocaine infiltration on the ovarian pedicle. The results of the present study suggest that splash block may provide intraoperative analgesic effects equivalent to injection in the ovarian pedicle in dogs that have undergone ovariectomy. In fact, in both procedure, lidocaine is absorbed quickly from ovarian tissue blocking the ascending afferent input and interfering with ion channels of the nerves of ovaries, allowing a satisfactory intraoperative analgesia

Update on canine anorchia: A review

Abnormalities of the external genitals are an important issue in dog breeding because of the unfavourable qualities and characteristics of breeds, resulting in consistent economic losses. Despite their significance, little scientific attention has been given to these problems. Although there are several reviews on cryptorchidism in dogs, none have described anorchia. Testicular agenesis is a rare reproductive disorder with a congenital origin. Moreover, no author has described the diagnostic procedure for making a definitive diagnosis of anorchia in dogs. It is important to have a well-structured diagnostic scheme to help practical veterinarians make a confirmatory diagnosis. This review article aims to provide an update on canine anorchia diagnosis based on the poor research studies published in recent years. We have also contributed to the pathogenesis of this disorder using human medicine studies. Finally, the review includes therapeutic hypotheses that can be expanded in future studies

GRANULOSA CELL TUMOR OF THE OVARY IN DOGS: CASE REPORT

Germ cell tumors make up 6 to 12%, while Granulosa cell tumors account for 50% of all canine ovarian neoplasms. Depending on their origin, ovarian tumors are assigned into 3 groups: germ cell tumors, sex-cord stromal tumors and epithelial cell tumours (1). One of the most common neoplasms in canine ovaries is granulosa cell tumors (GCT) that originate from sex cord stromal cells. This tumor has been observed in female canines. Many ovarian tumors produce estrogen or androgen and cause various disorders of the estrus cycle, such as prolonged period of estrus in bitches that may develop pyometra, vulvar swelling with discharge, alopecia (2). An 8 year old Bulldog intact bitch was presented to the Department of Veterinary Medicine, Section of Obstetric, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”. She showed several symptoms: hyperthermia, reluctance to move, hypertrophic vulva with purulent discharge and widespread small areas of dermatitis. The owner claimed nymphomaniac behavior and anorexia. On physical examination a nipple-like neoformation was positioned on the lateral part of the thorax. Blood analysis showed an increase of the white line cells. At ultrasonography the right ovary was increased in volume with a cysts. The uterus was hypertrophic and hypoechoic. An ovariohysterectomy was performed. The appearance of the excised ovary was cystic and its surface was smooth while the consistency was firm and lobulated. Histologically the architecture of the ovarian parenchyma appeared totally subverted. Cystic multifocal areas were detected. It was diagnosed as a malignant granulosa cells tumor (4.80 x 3.60 cm) moderately differentiated. The subject presented a fast recovery at the post-surgery, appetite returned to regular and so the temperature. The symptoms presented at clinical examination disappeared. The vulva returned to normal. The nipple-like neormation has started to regress from the second week, as well as the widespread skin anomalies present on the entire surface of the body. Dogs with non-functional GCT usually have no clinical signs related to the reproductive tract instead of functional GCT can be associated with vaginal discharge, alopecia, enlarged vulva, pyometra, cystic endometrial hyperplasia, and irregular prolonged or persistent estrus (3) as in our case. At 6 months post surgery the bitch is still in a good health

Clinical evaluation of the efficacy of two different analgesic protocols during prescrotal orchiectomy in dogs

Orchiectomy is a common surgical procedure in small animal practice. In spite of the relative technical simplicity of execution, orchiectomy requires a serious approach to perioperative analgesic management. Neuroaxial (epidural) and loco-regional (infiltration of the incision line and testicular parenchyma) techniques of anaesthesia have been reported to improve the quality of sedation and/or general anaesthesia (1). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of administration of ropivacaine hydrochloride by ultrasound-guided injection into the spermatic cord, together with infiltration of the same anaesthetic into the prescrotal incisional line (4). Fifty privately-owned dogs presented for clinical orchiectomy were randomly divided into two groups of 25 each (ROP group and Control group). The dogs were approximately 2 - 4 y of age and 15-25 kg body weight. They received the same combination of drugs for sedative-analgesic purposes: 3 mcg/kg of dexmedetomidine + 0,25 mg/kg of methadone (2,3). Subjects in the ROP group were administered only ropivacaine, injected into the tissue around the spermatic cord at the level of its starting point from the superficial inguinal ring, and also injected into the incision line (0,2 ml/kg of ropivacaine 0,5% at each injection site). In the Control Group (25 dogs), 20 min after sedation, propofol were administered i.v. to induce general anaesthesia. Parameters taken into consideration were haemodynamic stability, the need for additional administration of hypnotic and/or analgesic drugs in the intraoperative period, and the need for analgesics in the postoperative period. Dogs in the ROP group showed a greater hemodynamic stability intraoperatively (considering heart rate, electrocardiogram, pulse oximetry and blood pressure) compared with the Control group, and did not react on surgical stimulation. Dogs in the ROP group and in Control group had no requirement for hypnotics during the procedure. Immediately after surgery, evaluation of pain by the Glasgow pain scale demonstrated that both group did not present signs of pain. In the postoperative period at home, owners reported no signs of pain or discomfort in two group. The loco-regional approach used in this study has been shown to be effective in minimizing responses to the surgical stimulus, and ensured adequate analgesia in the both the intraoperative and postoperative period. This method allows the procedure to be performed under deep sedation and therefore avoids the use of general anaesthesia. REFERENCES: 1) Almeida RM, Escobar A, Maguilnik S et al., 2010 ‘Comparison of analgesia provided by lidocaine, lidocaine-morphine or lidocaine-tramadol delivered epidurally in dogs following orchiectomy’ , Vet Anaesth Analg. 37(6):542-9. 2) Cardoso CG, Marques DR, da Silva TH, de Mattos-Junior E, 2014 ‘Cardiorespiratory, sedative and antinociceptive effects of dexmedetomidine alone or in combination with methadone, morphine or tramadol in dogs’Vet Anaesth Analg. 41(6):636-43. 3) Ingvast-Larsson C, Holgersson A, Bondesson U, Lagerstedt AS, Olsson K., 2010, ‘Clinical pharmacology of methadone in dogs’, Vet Anaesth Analg.37(1):48-56. 4) Kushnir Y, Toledano N, Cohen L, Bdolah-Abram T, Shilo-Benjamini Y., 2017, ‘Intratesticular and incisional line infiltration with ropivacaine for castration i

Analgesic comparison between topical irrigation (splash block) versus injection of lidocaine on the ovarian pedicle in canine ovariectomy

The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of topical irrigation versus injection of lidocaine on the ovarian pedicle to provide analgesia in bitches ovariectomy. In the current study were monitored: increased blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate to identify an acute intraoperative nociceptive response. These parameters were registered at six times during the surgical procedure: grasping of the ovary (time 1), dissection of the mesosalpinx (time 2), tightening of the first loop ligature (time 3), tightening of the second loop ligature (time 4), transection of the ovarian pedicle (time 5) and release of the ovary (time 6)

Use of Spinal Anaesthesia with Anaesthetic Block of Intercostal Nerves Compared to a Continuous Infusion of Sufentanyl to Improve Analgesia in Cats Undergoing Unilateral Mastectomy

Unilateral mastectomy is a common surgical procedure in feline species and requires postoperative pain management. Our study aimed to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of subarachnoid anaesthesia combined with an intercostal nerve block, in comparison with the use of sufentanyl citrate administered as a constant-rate infusion (CRI). Twenty cats were randomly divided into two groups (n = 10/group) based on the analgesic protocol used: the first received loco-regional anaesthesia with levobupivacaine (LR group), and the second received a CRI of sufentanyl (SUF group). The evaluation criteria during surgery were the need for a bolus of fentanyl in the event of an increased heart rate or increased blood pressure. In the postoperative period, the levels of comfort/discomfort and pain were used to obtain a score according to the UNESP-Botucatu multimodal scale. Subjects who scored above seven received analgesic drug supplementation. Intraoperative analgesia was satisfactory, with good haemodynamic stability in both groups. Four patients in the LR group required an extra dose of methadone after they achieved the sternal decubitus position, whereas those in the SUF group required many more doses. The analgesia achieved in the LR group was more satisfactory than that in the SUF group

The Global Molecular Prevalence of Bartonella spp. in Cats and Dogs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Bartonella species are vector-borne infectious pathogens with a severe impact on animal and human health. This comprehensive systematic review aimed to perform a meta-analysis to evaluate the global impact of this pathogen on pet health. A literature search was performed on electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus) to find relevant peer-reviewed published papers (n=131). A random-effects model was employed to calculate pooled prevalence estimates, and Q-statistic and I2 index were used to assess the heterogeneity. Based on 20.133 cats and 9.824 dogs, the global prevalence estimates were 15.3% and 3.6%. The heterogeneity was significantly high in both species, with I2 =95.8%, p-value<0.0001, and I2 =87.7%, p-value<0.0001 in cats and dogs, respectively. The meta-analysis conducted using location coordinates showed a consistently high prevalence in regions located between latitudes −40 to −30 or latitudes 30–40 in both populations, in agreement with the pure spatial analysis results, which computed significantly high relative risk areas within these region coordinates. When analyzing cat data for other subgroup moderators, Bartonella spp. prevalence was higher in animals of young age (<1 year, p-value=0.001), with a free roaming lifestyle (p-value <0.0001) and/or having ectoparasite infestation (p-value=0.004). Globally, among the Bartonella species detected in cats, Bartonella henselae was the most frequent (13.05%), followed by Bartonella clarridgeiae (1.7%) and Bartonella koehlerae (0.11%). When considering Bartonella henselae genotype distribution, high heterogeneity (p<0:0001) was observed based on geographical subgroups. Dogs displayed infection by Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii (1.1%), B. henselae (1%), Candidatus B. merieuxii (0.9%) and B. rochalimae (0.38%). The present study provides a global picture of the epidemiological distribution of Bartonella spp. in cat and dog populations that may be pivotal for implementing proper preventive and control measures

Assessing Contact Time and Concentration of Thymus vulgaris Essential Oil on Antibacterial Efficacy In Vitro

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics can pose the risk of spreading mutant strains that show antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with negative impacts on the management of bacterial infections and economic implications for healthcare systems. The research and development of natural antibacterial agents could be a priority in the next years to improve a number of effective antibacterial molecules and to reduce the AMR phenomenon and its development. The present study identified the most effective concentration and contact time of Thymus vulgaris L. essential oil (TEO) to obtain bactericidal effects in vitro against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Six clinically isolated (wild types) bacterial strains, (Citrobacter freundii, Enterococcus feciorum, Proteus mirabilis, Acinetobacter cioffi, Pseudomonas putrefaciens and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and two ATCCs (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans) were tested after 1 min, 3 min and 5 min of contact with TEO. The preliminary results on S. aureus after 24 h of incubation revealed a TEO concentration of 9.28 mg/mL (w/v) that completely inhibited bacteria growth, keeping cell viability. The total suppression of bacterial growth at all tested contact times was observed for all tested bacterial strains, and the results were confirmed after 48 h of incubation. Bacterial growth suppression was confirmed even with the presence of organic components. These preliminary results showed the in vitro antimicrobial efficacy of TEO against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Future studies are necessary to confirm the reproducibility of these results even on other strains and to define the exact molecular mechanisms of EOs in order to consider TEO as a valid alternative to classic antibiotic therapies and subsequently to reduce the occurrence of AMR