Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How dog body weight affects low blood pressure during anesthesia
By Miller, L et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2023·The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies & The Roslin Institute, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Association between body mass and hypotension in dogs under general anaesthesia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at how body weight affects blood pressure in dogs under general anesthesia during surgeries. It found that heavier dogs were less likely to experience low blood pressure, while smaller or brachycephalic breeds (like Bulldogs or Pugs) had a higher risk. Other factors, such as pre-anesthetic medication and maintaining a normal body temperature during the procedure, also helped reduce the chances of hypotension. This means that if your dog is small or has a flat face, your vet may need to monitor their blood pressure more closely during anesthesia to ensure their safety.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between body mass and hypotension during general anaesthesia in dogs undergoing surgical and diagnostic procedures within a referral hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective evaluation of the anaesthetic records of 1789 dogs was performed. Data on signalment, anaesthetic protocol and physiological variables, including mean arterial pressure, were collected. A multivariable generalised linear model was used to identify associations between explanatory variables, including body mass, and hypotension. RESULTS: In the population studied, increasing body mass (per 10 kg) was significantly associated with decreasing odds of hypotension (odds ratio 0.68; 95% confidence interval: 0.60 to 0.77). Additional variables associated with a decreased odds of hypotension were pre-anaesthetic medication with alpha-2 agonists (odds ratio 0.63; 95% confidence interval 0.48 to 0.82) and increased body temperature (per 1°C) during general anaesthesia (odds ratio 0.77; 95% confidence interval 0.67 to 0.88). Brachycephaly (odds ratio 1.72; 95% confidence interval 1.25 to 2.38), ASA physical status classification >3 (odds ratio 2.03; 95% confidence interval 1.16 to 3.56), undergoing a surgical procedure (versus diagnostic) (odds ratio 1.57; 95% confidence interval 1.10 to 2.23) and bradycardia (odds ratio 1.37; 95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.80) were independently associated with increased odds of hypotension. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Dogs of lower body mass and brachycephalic breeds may be at higher risk of hypotension during general anaesthesia or alternatively represent subpopulations in which accurate blood pressure measurement presents a greater challenge. Monitoring blood pressure accurately in these groups requires particular attention and provisions for treating hypotension should be readily accessible.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37770103/