Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Gastro-oesophageal reflux in dogs under anesthesia - what to know
By Galatos, A D & Raptopoulos, D·Published in The Veterinary record·1995·Department of Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Gastro-oesophageal reflux during anaesthesia in the dog: the effect of age, positioning and type of surgical procedure.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 270 dogs under anesthesia were monitored for signs of gastro-oesophageal reflux, which is when stomach contents flow back into the esophagus. About 17% of the dogs experienced this issue, particularly after anesthesia was induced, with most cases involving acidic stomach contents. Older dogs were more likely to have reflux, and those undergoing abdominal surgery had more episodes compared to dogs having other types of surgery. Fortunately, the study did not report any serious complications from the reflux, but it highlights the importance of monitoring older dogs and those undergoing specific procedures during anesthesia.
People also search for: dog reflux during anesthesia · signs of reflux in dogs · older dog surgery risks
Abstract
Lower oesophageal pH was monitored in 270 dogs under anaesthesia. There were 47 episodes of gastro-oesophageal reflux (17.4 per cent), most of which occurred shortly after the induction of anaesthesia. The refluxate was usually acid (pH < 4.0), but in four of the episodes (8.5 per cent) it was alkaline (pH > 7.5). Gastric contents with a pH below 2.5 were refluxed on 27 occasions (10 per cent) for an average period of about 44 minutes. Regurgitation occurred in two of the dogs. Increased age seemed to be associated with an increased incidence of reflux and an increased gastric acidity. Body position (sternal, dorsal and left or right lateral) and the tilt of the body during surgery (horizontal or tilted to an 8 degrees head-up or head-down position) had no influence on the incidence of gastro-oesophageal reflux. Dogs undergoing intra-abdominal surgery had significantly more reflux episodes than dogs undergoing non-abdominal surgery.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8588277/