Analgesic effects of epidurally administered levogyral ketamine alone or in combination with morphine on intraoperative and postoperative pain in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the analgesic and adverse effects of epidurally administered levogyral (S[+]) ketamine alone or in combination with morphine on intraoperative and postoperative pain in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy.


METHODS
30 dogs scheduled for ovariohysterectomy.


METHODS
Dogs were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 groups. Dogs in group 1 received S(+) ketamine (1 mg/kg), dogs in group 2 received S(+) ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) and morphine (0.05 mg/kg), and dogs in group 3 received S(+) ketamine (1 mg/kg) and morphine (0.025 mg/kg). The skin was incised 15 minutes after epidural administration of analgesics. Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry, and arterial blood gases were obtained before anesthesia, 15 minutes after epidural administration of analgesics, 15 and 30 minutes after initiation of surgery, and at the end of surgery. During the intraoperative period, an increase of > or =20% in baseline values for HR, RR, and SBP was considered a sign of intraoperative pain. Signs of pain and adverse effects were assessed at 2, 4, and 8 hours postoperatively.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in intraoperative or postoperative measurements among the 3 groups. No dogs had intraoperative signs of pain. Mean postoperative pain assessment scores were <3.5 in all 3 groups. Salivation was the most frequent adverse effect in dogs in groups 1 and 3, and sedation occurred more frequently in dogs in groups 2 and 3.


CONCLUSIONS
All 3 analgesic regimens provided good respiratory and cardiovascular stability intraoperatively and adequate postoperative analgesia with minimal adverse effects.
Acosta
Alinne Dalla-Porta
AD
Departamento de Anestesiología and the Hospital Clínico, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain.
Gomar
Carmen
C
Correa-Natalini
Claudio
C
Bopp
Simone
S
Polydoro
Alexandre
A
Sala-Blanch
Xavier
X
D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000662:veterinary*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D004285:Dogs / Q000601:surgery*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D013237:Stereoisomerism
D000700:Analgesics; D007649:Ketamine; D009020:Morphine