Electroanalgesia for the postoperative control pain in dogs

• Autor(a) principal: Cassu,Renata Navarro
• Data de Publicação: 2012
• Outros Autores: Silva,Daniele Alves da, Genari Filho,Túlio, Stevanin,Helaine
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Acta Cirúrgica Brasileira (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-86502012000100008
• topic: Electroacupuncture; Analgesia; Ovary; Hysterectomy; Salpingectomy; Dogs

PURPOSE: To evaluate the analgesic and neuroendocrine effects of electroanalgesia in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy. METHODS: Eighteen dogs were randomly distributed to three groups of six animals each and received either electrical stimuli at acupuncture points (EA), at peri-incisional dermatomes (DER) and at both acupuncture points and peri-incisional dermatomes (EAD). Pre-anesthetic medication was acepromazine (0.05mg kg-1, IV). Anesthesia was induced with propofol (4 to 5mg kg-1, IV) and maintained with isoflurane. Postoperatively pain degree was measured using a numerical rating scale. Dogs were scored at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours postoperative. If the pain score was ≥6, supplemental morphine (0.5mg kg-1, IM) was administered. Serum cortisol concentration was measured before pre-anesthetic medication (basal), and at 1, 12 and 24 hours postoperative. RESULTS: EA and EAD- treated dogs had lower pain scores than DER treated dogs one hour postoperatively. Fewer EA and EAD-treated dogs required rescue analgesia. Serum cortisol did not differ among treatments. CONCLUSION: Preoperative application of electrical stimuli to acupuncture points isolated or in combination with peri-incisional dermatomes provides a reduced postoperative opioid requirement and promotes an effective analgesia in dogs undergoing ovariohyterectomy.