title: Electroacupuncture versus morphine for the postoperative control pain in dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  [corrected] 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electroacupuncture reduces the postoperative analgesic requirement and promotes satisfactory analgesia in dogs undergoing mastectomy.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Hospital, Department of Veterinary Surgery and Anestesiology, Scholl of Veterinary Medicine, Oeste Paulista University, Presidente Prudente-SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hugo Higa
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Gakiya
authors.forename: Danielle Alves
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Juliano
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Helaine
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stevanin
authors.forename: Renata Navarro
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Cassu
mesh_terms: D015667:Acupuncture Analgesia / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D009020:Morphine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009020:Morphine