Considering the widespread use of rabbits in research that potentially causes pain and discomfort and the limited number of pain assessment validated tools in this species, we aimed to develop and validate a scale of acute postoperative pain in rabbits (RPBS). Footage of 58 rabbits from previous studies were used, recorded at ‘baseline’ (before orthopaedic and soft tissue surgeries), ‘pain’ (after surgery), ‘analgesia’ (after analgesic), and ‘24h post’ (24 hours after surgery). The videos were randomised and assessed twice by four evaluators, within one-month interval between evaluations. After content validation, RBPS was further refined using the criteria from the validation. According to the principal component analysis, RPBS was considered unidimensional. The intra- and inter-observer reliability was excellent (ICC>0.80) for all evaluators. There was a high Spearman’s correlation of the RPBS with unidimensional scales (>0.80) and a moderate correlation with the Rabbit Grimace Scale (0.68), confirming criterion validity. According to the mixed linear model, the scale was responsive, shown by the increase in pain scores after surgery. Construct validity was confirmed by known-group approach and internal relationships among items. Adequate item-total correlation (>0.3) was observed for all items, except for the attention to the affected area (0.04). The internal consistency was very good (Cronbach’s α coefficient = 0.78; Mcdonald’s ω coefficient = 0.83). The cut-off score for rescue analgesia was ≥3, with an area under the curve >0.95, demonstrating a high discriminatory capacity of the instrument. Scores 3 and 4 were within the uncertainty diagnostic zone. Specificity was 87% and sensitivity was 90%. It was concluded that the RPBS presented content, criterion, and construct validities, responsiveness, and reliability to assess acute pain in rabbits submitted to orthopaedic and soft tissue surgeries. The cut-off for rescue analgesia serves as a basis for the administration of analgesics to rabbits submitted to painful procedures.

Epidural anesthesia minimizes perioperative pain in dogs. It is considered that epidural solution dispersion in cadavers is similar to alive dogs. The objective of the anatomical study was to compare the dispersion of 0.2 mL/kg 0.25% bupivacaine and iohexol via lumbar epidural (L1-L2) under fluoroscopic guidance in 10 thawed cadavers (GC) and 13 female dogs (G0.25) (5-15 kg; body score 4/5). The objective of the clinical study was to evaluate postoperative analgesic consumption and sedation for 6 h after extubation of dogs submitted to ovariohysterectomy when using 0.25% (G0.25; n = 10) bupivacaine with the intraoperative use of fentanyl (GF; n = 10). Parametric data were compared by the t-test and non-parametric data by the Mann Whitney test. Pain and sedation scores were evaluated over time by the Friedman test, followed by the Dunn test. Alive dogs presented greater epidural dispersion (17 ± 3 vertebrae) than thawed cadavers (11 ± 4 vertebrae; p = 0.002). All dogs treated with fentanyl and only one dog treated with 0.25% epidural bupivacaine presented pain scores above the cutoff point of the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale Short-Form (GCMPS-SF) and required postoperative rescue analgesia up to 6 h after extubation. The sedation score was higher at all postoperative moments compared to preoperative moments in the G0.25 and GF, except for evaluations performed at 5 and 6 h after extubation in the GF. Greater sedation was observed immediately after extubation in the GF compared to the G0.25, and there was greater sedation in the G0.25 compared to the GF from 3 to 6 h after extubation. The conclusion of the anatomical study was that L1-L2 epidural bupivacaine dispersion is lower in canine thawed cadavers than in alive dogs. Conclusion of the clinical study was that lumbar epidural anesthesia improved postoperative analgesia and produced longer postoperative sedation when compared to fentanyl.

The canine golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD) model is the best animal model for studying Duchenne muscular dystrophy in humans. Considering the importance of glucose metabolism in the muscles, the existence of metabolic and endocrine alterations in a wide range of muscular dystrophies, and the pre-existing relationship between blood insulin concentration and muscular atrophy, the present study aimed to evaluate the postprandial glucose and insulin response in GRMD dogs. A total of eighteen golden retriever dogs were randomly distributed into three experimental groups: healthy/control (G1), female GRMD carriers (G2), and male dogs affected by GRMD (G3). Higher plasma resting glucose levels (P = 0·0047) were seen in G2 and G3 compared with G1, as was the case for minimum (P = <0·0001), mean (P = 0·0002) and maximum (P = 0·0359) glucose values for G3 compared with G1. Fructosamine concentrations were in accordance with reference values found in the literature for dogs. Insulin levels were lower in G3 compared with G1 (P = 0·0065); however, there was no evidence of insulin resistance according to the homeostasis model assessment index values obtained. As for the evaluation of postprandial responses, fluctuations of glucose (P = 0·0007) and insulin (P = 0·0149) were observed in G1 and G2, while in G3 the values remained constant. The results allowed us to identify metabolic changes related to carbohydrate metabolism in GRMD dogs, highlighting the importance of adequate food management for these animals.

No abstract

Os procedimentos anestésicos em animais são amplamente utilizados em hospitais para cirurgias de rotina. Para a indução anestésica em cães o propofol tem se mostrado o fármaco de escolha. O objetivo deste estudo foi a avaliação da indução anestésica com propofol ou propofol-cetamina. Vinte cães foram divididos de forma aleatória nos grupos com tratamento e controle. Em todos os pacientes administrou-se acepromazina (0,05 mg kg-1) e fentanil (5 µg kg-1) como medicação pré-anestésica por via intramuscular (IM). Nos cães do grupo de tratamento foi administrado cetamina (1 mg kg-1), enquanto que os cães do grupo controle receberam solução salina a 0,9%, pela via intravenosa (IV). A indução da anestesia foi realizada com propofol IV a uma taxa de 1 mL minuto-1. Os padrões cardiopulmonares foram avaliados antes da aplicação da medicação pré-anestésica, 15 minutos após a mesma e após a indução da anestesia. Além disso, avaliou-se o escore de intubação traqueal, a presença de efeitos adversos e a dose de propofol necessária para a indução da anestesia. De forma significativa, o grupo controle apresentou mais efeitos adversos e alterações nos padrões cardiopulmonares quando comparado com o grupo de tratamento. Houve uma redução clinicamente importante da dose de propofol necessária para a indução de anestesia quando associado à cetamina. A associação de cetamina ao propofol para indução de anestesia em cães saudáveis foi capaz de reduzir a dose do anestésico geral necessária para intubação traqueal. Além disso, houve uma redução na ocorrência de efeitos adversos e depressão cardiopulmonar, o que permitiu um procedimento mais seguro para os pacientes.