Analgesic efficacy of laser acupuncture and electroacupuncture in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of laser acupuncture and electroacupuncture on postoperative pain and analgesic requirements in cats. In a prospective, randomized and blinded clinical study, thirty cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy were sedated with intramuscular (IM) ketamine (5 mg/kg), midazolam (0.5 mg/kg), and tramadol (2 mg/ kg). Before the induction of anesthesia, the animals were randomly distributed into three groups of ten cats each: LA: bilateral Stomach 36 (ST-36) and Spleen 6 (SP-6) acupoints were stimulated with an infrared laser; EA: bilateral ST-36 and SP-6 acupoints were stimulated with an electrical stimulus; Control: no acupuncture was applied. Postoperative analgesia was evaluated in the first 24 hr post-extubation using the Interactive Visual Analogue Scale and UNESP-Botucatu Multidimensional Composite Pain Scale. Rescue analgesia was provided with IM tramadol (2 mg/kg), and the pain scores were reassessed 30 min after the rescue intervention. If the analgesia remained insufficient, meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg IM, single dose) was administered. Data were analyzed using t -tests, the Mann-Whitney U test, and Friedman test. P <0.05 was considered significant. The pain scores did not significantly differ between the treatment groups at any time point ( P >0.05). The prevalence of rescue analgesia was significantly higher in the Control group than in the LA and EA groups ( P =0.033). Preoperative laser and electroacupuncture reduced the need for rescue analgesia during the first 24 hr after ovariohysterectomy.

Analgesia for Sheep in Commercial Production: Where to Next?

“…In a full clinical setting using cats, Nascimento et al [ 341 ] studied the effects of an EAP on cats ( n = 10 per treatment group) undergoing ovariohysterectomy (spaying). An electrical stimulator was used to stimulate two acupoints (ST-36 and SP-6), a control group had no EAP treatment, and a third group received infrared laser stimulation of the same acupoints.…”

Abdominal pain assessment in rabbits: using the CANCRS to recognize pain and testing its internal validity over time

“…Even if pain variation over time were not investigated for the VAS, the scale showed very low sensibility and specificity in rabbits. No previous study concerning the VAS in rabbits had been performed previously, however the limitations of the VAS were previously discussed for other veterinary species (8,12,(22)(23)(24). The VAS is a subjective, simple and poorly reliable tool and it is not aimed to consider the multidimensional aspect of pain (25), whereas composite pain scales are objective tools and are intended to capture the behavioral and physiological changes associated with pain.…”

“…Nevertheless, they are sometimes used in domestic animals (8,12), but their performances have never been previously evaluated in rabbits. Testing a subjective tool like the VAS could be useful to point out the advantages and the limitations of a subjective assessment of pain.…”

The Application of Laser Acupuncture in Animal Experiments: A Narrative Review of Biological Aspects

“…The results indicated that although LA did not improve the pain scores, it significantly reduced the requirement of rescue medication. To further explore the analgesic effect of LA at SP-6 and ST-36, the same research group [ 60 ] compared the effects of LA and EA on rescue analgesia requirements in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy. They found that preoperative EA and LA in combination with pain reliever significantly decreased the requirements for rescue analgesia.…”