title: The incidence of spontaneous movements (myoclonus) in dogs undergoing total intravenous anaesthesia with propofol.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the incidence of myoclonus (involuntary movements during anaesthesia, unrelated to inadequate hypnosis or analgesia, and of sufficient severity to require treatment) in dogs anaesthetized with a TIVA of propofol with or without the use of fentanyl.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs, undergoing general anaesthesia for clinical procedures between January 2012 and January 2013 and subject to TIVA with propofol.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis reviewed the medical and anaesthetic records. Animals with existing or potential neurological or neuromuscular pathology in the anamnesis or upon clinical examination and cases with incomplete clinical records were excluded. Myoclonus was considered as involuntary muscle contractions which did not cease following a bolus administration of propofol or fentanyl and, due to their intensity and duration, made continuation of the procedure impracticable without other drug administration. Tremors, paddling or muscle spasms, explicable as insufficient hypnosis or analgesia, and transient excitatory phenomena only present during the awakening phase, were not considered as myoclonus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of a total of 492 dogs undergoing anaesthesia, six mixed breed dogs (1.2%), one male and five females, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I, median (range) weight 20.5 (7-37) kg and age 1.5 (1-5) years had myoclonus according to the aforementioned definition. In all subjects, myoclonus appeared within 20 minutes after induction of anaesthesia, and mainly involved the limb muscles. All subjects appeared to be in an adequate plane of anaesthesia before and during myoclonus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that 1.2% of dogs, undergoing TIVA with propofol with or without fentanyl administration, developed myoclonus, which required to be, and were treated successfully pharmacologically. The cause of this phenomenon is yet to be determined.
authors: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, Agripolis, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Cattai
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Rabozzi
authors: Valentina
authors: V
authors: Natale
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Franci
mesh_terms: D000732:Androstanols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary*; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009207:Myoclonus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015742:Propofol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077123:Rocuronium; D061567:Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000732:Androstanols; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D061567:Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers; D008012:Lidocaine; D005283:Fentanyl; D000077123:Rocuronium; D015742:Propofol
keywords: Propofol; TIVA; anaesthesia; dogs; myoclonus