title: Acute physiological responses to castration-related pain in piglets: the effect of two local anesthetics with or without meloxicam.
abstract: Methods to reduce castration-related pain in piglets are still issues of concern and interest for authorities and producers. Our objectives were to estimate the effectiveness of two protocols of local anesthesia (lidocaine and the combination of lidocaine+bupivacaine) as well as the use of meloxicam as a postoperative analgesic in alleviating castration-related pain, measured by acute physiological responses. Eight groups (15 piglets/group) were included in the study: (1) castration without anesthesia or analgesia, without meloxicam (TRAD WITHOUT), (2) castration without anesthesia or analgesia, but with meloxicam (TRAD WITH), (3) handling without meloxicam (SHAM WITHOUT), (4) handling with meloxicam (SHAM WITH), (5) castration after local anesthesia with lidocaine but without meloxicam (LIDO WITHOUT), (6) castration after local anesthesia with lidocaine and meloxicam (LIDO WITH), (7) castration after local anesthesia with lidocaine+bupivacaine without meloxicam (LIDO+BUPI WITHOUT), (8) castration after local anesthesia with lidocaine+bupivacaine and meloxicam (LIDO+BUPI WITH). Acute physiological responses measured included skin surface temperature and serum glucose and cortisol concentrations. On days 4 and 11 post-castration BW was recorded and average daily gain was calculated over this period. Furthermore, piglet mortality was recorded over the 11-day post-castration period. Administration of local anesthetic or meloxicam did not prevent the decrease in skin surface temperature associated with castration. Lidocaine reduced the increase in glucose concentration associated with castration. For castrated pigs, the joint use of lidocaine and meloxicam caused a significant decrease in cortisol concentration; the combination of intratesticular lidocaine and bupivacaine did not seem to be more effective than lidocaine alone. No effect of treatments on mortality and growth were detected.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery,Universidad de Zaragoza,C/ Miguel Servet 177,50013 Zaragoza,Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonastre
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery,Universidad de Zaragoza,C/ Miguel Servet 177,50013 Zaragoza,Spain.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mitjana
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Anatomy, Embryology and Animal Genetics,Universidad de Zaragoza,C/ Miguel Servet 177,50013 Zaragoza,Spain.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Tejedor
authors.affiliation: 3Granja Valporgen,Valpalmas,50615 Zaragoza,Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calavia
authors.affiliation: 3Granja Valporgen,Valpalmas,50615 Zaragoza,Spain.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Yuste
authors.affiliation: 3Granja Valporgen,Valpalmas,50615 Zaragoza,Spain.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Úbeda
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery,Universidad de Zaragoza,C/ Miguel Servet 177,50013 Zaragoza,Spain.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Falceto
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D000077239:Meloxicam; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000662:veterinary*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000502:physiology*; D013843:Thiazines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D013843:Thiazines; D013844:Thiazoles; D000077239:Meloxicam
keywords: castration; local anesthesia; meloxicam; pain; piglet