No abstract

This study aimed to compare the analgesic effects of an injectable protocol using multimodal analgesia with or without opioids in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy (OVH). Thirty-two healthy cats were enrolled in a prospective, blinded, randomized trial after the caregiver's written consent. Cats received a combination of ketamine (4 mg/kg), midazolam (0.25 mg/kg) and dexmedetomidine (40 μg/kg), and either buprenorphine (20 μg/kg) or saline (same volume as buprenorphine) intramuscularly [opioid-sparing (OSA) and opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) groups, respectively]. Intraperitoneal bupivacaine 0.25% (2 mg/kg) and meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg subcutaneously) were administered before OVH. Atipamezole (400 μg/kg intramuscularly) was administered at the end of surgery. Pain and sedation were evaluated using the Feline Grimace Scale (FGS) and a dynamic interactive visual analog scale, respectively. Intravenous buprenorphine was administered as rescue analgesia if FGS scores ≥ 0.39/1. Statistical analysis included repeated measures linear mixed models, Fisher's exact test and Bonferroni adjustments when appropriate (p < 0.05). Twenty-seven cats were included. The prevalence of rescue analgesia was lower in OSA (n = 0/13) than in OFA (n = 5/14) (p = 0.04). The FGS scores (least square means and 95% CI) were higher in OFA at 1 [2.0 (1.3–2.7)] and 2 h [2.2 (1.5–2.9)] than baseline [0.7 (0.0–1.4)], but not in OSA. Sedation scores were not significantly different between groups. Opioid-free injectable anesthesia was appropriate for some cats using a multimodal approach. However, a single dose of intramuscular buprenorphine eliminated the need for rescue analgesia and assured adequate pain management after OVH in cats.

This case report describes a low-grade malignant B-cell lymphoma (lymphocytic lymphoma) in a 14-year-old mixed breed cat, diagnosed by bronchoscopy and diagnostic imaging (radiography, ultrasound and computed tomography). The patient was treated with surgery, and postoperative complications included blindness and a severe mycoplasma infection of the thoracic cavity, which was treated using a vacuum-assisted closure device. Long-term therapy with prednisolone and chlorambucil and outcome with a survival time of 1385 days after discharge are also presented.

This prospective blinded randomized study aimed to determine whether the timing of morphine and phenylbutazone administration affects the breathing response to skin incision, recovery quality, behavior, and cardiorespiratory variables in horses undergoing fetlock arthroscopy. Ten Standardbred horses were premedicated with acepromazine (0.04 mg kg−1 IM) and romifidine (0.04 mg kg−1 IV). Anesthesia was induced with diazepam (0.05 mg kg−1) and ketamine (2.2 mg kg−1) IV at T0. Horses in group PRE (n = 5) received morphine (0.1 mg kg−1) and phenylbutazone (2.2 mg kg−1) IV after induction and an equivalent amount of saline after surgery. Horses in group POST (n = 5) received the inversed treatment. Anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane 2% in 100% oxygen. Hypotension (mean arterial pressure <60 mmHg) was treated with dobutamine. All horses breathed spontaneously. Dobutamine requirements, respiratory rate (fR), heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure, end-tidal CO2, inspired (i) and expired (e) tidal and minute volume (VT and trueV˙E), inspiratory time (IT), and the inspiratory gas flow (VTi/IT) were measured every 5 min. Data were averaged during four 15 min periods before (P1 and P2) and after the incision (P3 and P4). Serial blood–gas analyses were also performed. Recoveries were unassisted, video recorded, and scored by three anesthetists blinded to the treatment. The postoperative behavior of the horses (25 demeanors), HR, and fR were recorded at three time points before induction (T0–24 h, T0–12 h, and T0–2 h) and six time points after recovery (TR) (TR + 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48 h). Data were compared between groups using a Wilcoxon test and within groups using a Friedman test or a Kruskal–Wallis signed-rank test when applicable. Tidal volumes (VTe and VTi) were higher in PRE than in POST during all the considered periods but the difference between groups was only significant during P2 (VTe in mL kg−1 in PRE: 13 [9, 15], in POST: 9 [8, 9], p = 0.01). None of the other variables were significantly different between and within groups. Under our experimental conditions, skin incision did not affect respiratory variables. Administration of pre- versus postoperative phenylbutazone and morphine did not influence recovery quality, HR, fR, or animal behavior.