Twenty‐four bitches which had been in labour for less than 12 hours were randomly divided into four groups of six. They all received 0.5 mg/kg of chlorpromazine intravenously as premedication, followed 15 minutes later by either 8 mg/kg of thiopentone intravenously (group 1), 2 mg/kg of ketamine and 0.5 mg/kg of midazolam intravenously (group 2), 5 mg/kg of propofol intravenously (group 3), or 2.5 mg/kg of 2 per cent lidocaine with adrenaline and 0.625 mg/kg of 0.5 per cent bupivacaine with adrenaline epidurally (group 4). Except for group 4, the bitches were intubated and anaesthesia was maintained with enflurane. The puppies' heart and respiratory rates and their pain, sucking, anogenital, magnum and flexion reflexes were measured as they were removed from the uterus. The puppies' respiratory rate was higher after epidural anaesthesia. In general the puppies' neurological reflexes were most depressed after midazolam/ketamine, followed by thiopentone, propofol and epidural anaesthesia.

This study aimed to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of gabapentin as an adjuvant for postoperative pain management in dogs. Twenty dogs undergoing mastectomy were randomized to receive perioperative oral placebo or gabapentin (10 mg/kg). All dogs were premedicated with intramuscular acepromazine (0.03 mg/kg) and morphine (0.3 mg/ kg). Anesthesia was induced with propofol (4 mg/kg) intravenously and maintained with isoflurane. Intravenous meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg) was administered preoperatively. Postoperative analgesia was evaluated for 72 hr. Rescue analgesia was provided with intramuscular morphine (0.5 mg/kg). Dogs in the Placebo group received significantly more morphine doses than the Gabapentin group (P=0.021), despite no significant differences in pain scores. Perioperative gabapentin reduced the postoperative morphine requirements in dogs after mastectomy.

PROPOSE: To compare the postoperative analgesic effects of electroacupuncture, morphine or sham acupuncture in dogs undergoing mastectomy. METHODS: Thirty client-owed dogs undergoing to mastectomy were randomly assigned to three groups of 10 animals each and received either morphine (T-M), the electroacupuncture (T-EA) or sham procedure (T-Sham). Pre-anesthetic medication was acepromazine (0.05 mg kg-1, IM). Anesthesia was induced with propofol (4 to 5 mg kg-1, IV) and maintained with isoflurane. Postoperatively pain degree was assessed using a numerical rating scale. Dogs were scored at 1, 3, 6 and 12 hours post-extubation. If the pain score was ≥6, supplemental morphine was administered. Serum cortisol concentration was measured before pre-anesthetic medication, at 45 minutes after the anesthetic induction, and at 1, 3 and 6 hours post-extubation. RESULTS: The pain score did not differ among the treatments, but rescue analgesia was lower in the T-EA group (2 of 10 dogs), when compared with T-Sham (6 of 10 dogs) and T-M (6 of 10 dogs) groups. Serum cortisol concentration did not differ among the treatments. CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture reduces the postoperative analgesic requirement and promotes satisfactory analgesia in dogs undergoing mastectomy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the analgesic and neuroendocrine effects of electroanalgesia in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy. METHODS: Eighteen dogs were randomly distributed to three groups of six animals each and received either electrical stimuli at acupuncture points (EA), at peri-incisional dermatomes (DER) and at both acupuncture points and peri-incisional dermatomes (EAD). Pre-anesthetic medication was acepromazine (0.05mg kg-1, IV). Anesthesia was induced with propofol (4 to 5mg kg-1, IV) and maintained with isoflurane. Postoperatively pain degree was measured using a numerical rating scale. Dogs were scored at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours postoperative. If the pain score was ≥6, supplemental morphine (0.5mg kg-1, IM) was administered. Serum cortisol concentration was measured before pre-anesthetic medication (basal), and at 1, 12 and 24 hours postoperative. RESULTS: EA and EAD- treated dogs had lower pain scores than DER treated dogs one hour postoperatively. Fewer EA and EAD-treated dogs required rescue analgesia. Serum cortisol did not differ among treatments. CONCLUSION: Preoperative application of electrical stimuli to acupuncture points isolated or in combination with peri-incisional dermatomes provides a reduced postoperative opioid requirement and promotes an effective analgesia in dogs undergoing ovariohyterectomy.