Electroacupuncture analgesia in dogs: is there a difference between uni- and bi-lateral stimulation?
OBJECTIVE
To compare the analgesic effect of uni- and bi-lateral electroacupuncture (EA) in response to thermal and mechanical nociceptive stimuli and to investigate the cardiorespiratory, endocrine, and behavioral changes in dogs submitted to EA.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized cross-over experimental study.


METHODS
Eight adult, clinically healthy, cross-breed dogs, weighing 13 +/- 4 kg.


METHODS
Dogs underwent electrostimulation at false acupoints (T-false); bilateral EA at acupoints, stomach 36, gall bladder 34 and spleen 6 (T-EA/bil); unilateral EA at the same points (T-EA/uni) or were untreated (T-control). All animals received acepromazine (0.05 mg kg(-1)) IV; and heart rate, pulse oximetry, indirect arterial blood pressure, respiratory rate, Pe'CO(2), rectal temperature, and plasma cortisol concentration were measured before, during, and after EA. Analgesia was tested using thoracic and abdominal cutaneous thermal and mechanical stimuli, and an interdigital thermal stimulus. Behavior was classified as calm or restless. Analysis of variance for repeated measures followed by Tukey's test was used for analysis of the data.


RESULTS
There were no cardiorespiratory differences among the treatments. The cutaneous pain threshold was higher after EA, compared with false points. The latency period was shorter and analgesia was more intense in T-EA/bil than T-EA/uni, when both were compared with T-false and T-control. Six out of eight animals treated with EA were calm during treatment, and 5/8 and 4/8 of the T-false and T-control animals, respectively, were restless. Latency to interdigital thermal stimulation increased in T-EA/bil compared with the others. There was no difference in plasma cortisol concentrations among the treatments.


CONCLUSIONS
Bilateral EA produced a shorter latency period, a greater intensity, and longer duration of analgesia than unilateral stimulation, without stimulating a stress response.


CONCLUSIONS
Bilateral EA produces a better analgesic effect than unilateral EA.
Cassu
Renata N
RN
Department of Veterinary Surgery and Anaesthesiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, FMVZ, Unesp, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
Luna
Stelio P L
SP
Clark
Rosana M O
RM
Kronka
Sérgio N
SN
D015667:Acupuncture Analgesia / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome