This study suggests that the preoperative administration of omeprazole is effective in reducing the incidence of gastro-oesophageal reflux during anaesthesia in dogs.

ObjectivesTo evaluate the combined effect of intramuscular acepromazine and methadone on tear production in dogs undergoing general anaesthesia for elective, non-ocular procedures.DesignProspective, non-randomised, pre-post treatment study.SettingPatients were recruited from a referral practice in the UK.MethodsThirty client-owned dogs were enrolled in this study and received a combined intramuscular premedication of methadone (0.3 mg/kg) and acepromazine (0.02 mg/kg) before general anaesthesia for elective, non-ocular procedures. Full ophthalmic examination was performed and tear production was quantified using the Schirmer tear test-1 (STT-1). On the day of general anaesthesia, an STT-1 was performed before (STT-1a) and after (STT-1b) intramuscular premedication with methadone/acepromazine.ResultsUsing a general linear model, a significant effect on STT-1 results was found for premedication with methadone/acepromazine (P=0.013), but not eye laterality (P=0.527). Following premedication, there was a significant reduction observed in the mean STT-1 readings of left and right eyes between STT-1a (20.4±2.8 mm/min) and STT-1b (16.9±4.1 mm/min; P<0.001). Significantly more dogs had an STT-1 reading less than 15 mm/min in one or both eyes after premedication (30 per cent; 9/30 dogs) compared with before premedication (6.7 per cent; 2/30 dogs; P=0.042).ConclusionsAn intramuscular premedication of methadone and acepromazine results in a decrease in tear production in dogs before elective general anaesthesia. This may contribute to the risk of ocular morbidities, such as corneal ulceration, particularly in patients with lower baseline tear production.

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Surgical sterilisation to manage free-roaming dog populations is widely used in many countries. However, few studies have examined optimal postoperative pain management regimens at low-resource, high-throughput veterinary clinics. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of two intravenous analgesic regimens, preoperative administration of meloxicam and tramadol, or meloxicam alone, in free-roaming dogs undergoing sterilisation. A total of 125 dogs were included, with 64 dogs in the meloxicam-tramadol arm and 61 dogs in the meloxicam-only arm in a non-inferiority study design. Pain levels in sterilisation surgery patients were assessed at four time points after surgery using the Colorado State University Canine Acute Pain Scale, a Visual Analogue Scale and a modified version of the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale – Short Form. Non-inferiority was supported for each of the main scoring outcomes using non-inferiority margins of 0.5, 5 and 0.8, respectively. One dog from the meloxicam-tramadol group and four dogs in the meloxicam-only arm required rescue analgesia, with no difference between groups (P=0.21).The study demonstrated that meloxicam was effective in controlling postoperative pain in a high proportion of dogs. The addition of tramadol alongside meloxicam treatment was not found to be of clinical benefit.

A 14-year-old giant panda presented with unilateral scrotal swelling. Palpation and conscious ultrasound were suggestive of testicular neoplasia. Anaesthesia was required to obtain radiographs and MRI. Immobilisation was achieved with ketamine and medetomidine, and anaesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane in oxygen. Tumours were discovered in both testes and castration was performed. before surgery buprenorphine was administered by slow intravenous injection. Apnoea occurred after approximately 10 mcg/kg had been injected so administration was discontinued. Manual ventilation was required for the majority of the general anaesthetic duration. Spontaneous ventilation returned shortly before transfer to the recovery area. Intramuscular atipamezole administration did not induce a normal recovery; the panda remained profoundly sedated. Further atipamezole had no effect. Due to the apnoea associated with buprenorphine administration during general anaesthesia naltrexone was administered resulting in the panda standing within 5 min post injection.

Difficult or impossible tracheal extubation has previously been reported in the veterinary literature as a result of endotracheal tube (ETT) faults or due to their entanglement with oesophagostomy tubes. Inadvertent transfixation of the ETT to the trachea during oral–maxillofacial surgery is a reported cause of extubation complications in the human literature. In this case, an incident of accidental ETT cuff transfixation to the trachea of a dog undergoing surgical repair of a traumatic tracheal laceration is reported. General anaesthesia for tracheal surgery requires special consideration of airway management to reduce complications. While precautions can be taken to avoid ETT placement within the surgical field, this cannot always be avoided and measures should be implemented for detection of transfixation. If tracheal extubation complications do arise, it is important to consider the differential causes and act quickly to resolve the problem and ensure minimal distress to the animal.

Two cases of suspected anaphylaxis occurred in the authors’ hospital within two weeks of each other. The first, a six-year-and-four-month-old border collie, presented for thoracic wall resection. Once anaesthetised, 20 mg/kg of intravenous cefuroxime (Zinacef 75 mg/ml, GlaxoSmithKline UK) was administered slowly for prophylactic antibiosis. Ten minutes after administration was completed,desaturation occurred alongside tachycardia, hypotension and apnoea. Chest compliance was extremely poor, with minimal chest movement. Treatment included intermittent positive pressure ventilation, intravenous fluids, terbutaline, adrenaline and dexamethasone. The second case, a five-year-and-eight-month-old Lhasa apso, presented for elective orthopaedic surgery. Intravenous cefuroxime (Zinacef 75 mg/ml) was again administered slowly for prophylactic antibiosis; however, it is uncertain whether the patient received the full dose of 20 mg/kg. Mid-administration tachycardia, tachypnoea and hypotension occurred,alongside poor chest compliance. Cefuroxime administration was stopped, the fluid line disconnected and treatment with chlorphenamine given.

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