Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Opioid-free anesthesia used in three dogs for spay surgery
By Donna M. White et al.·Published in Open Veterinary Journal·2017·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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Original publication title: Opioid-free anaesthesia in three dogs
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Three dogs underwent surgery to spay (remove the ovaries and uterus) without using opioids for pain management. This new approach, called opioid-free anesthesia, aims to avoid potential side effects associated with opioids, like increased sensitivity to pain. The veterinarians found that it is possible to perform surgeries without opioids, but it requires careful planning and experience. As more vets gain experience with this method, it could lead to safer options for more complex surgeries in the future.
People also search for: dog spay surgery without opioids · opioid-free anesthesia for dogs · canine pain management alternatives
Abstract
Opioid-free anaesthesia (OFA) is a relatively new and growing field in human medicine. There are multiple motivations behind this emerging practice with the recognition of several serious potential opioid-related adverse effects including opioid induced hyperalgesia, opioid tolerance and immunomodulatory effects of opioids. Opioids have long been the mainstay of veterinary anaesthesia and pain management practice. The feasibility of OFA in veterinary patients is presented here. A case series of three dogs that underwent OFA for canine ovariohysterectomy is reported. The authors conclude OFA is possible in veterinary medicine; however the move away from the familiar effects of opioids perioperatively is challenging. Gaining experience with these types of protocols for standard procedures in healthy animals, such as neutering, will provide the anaesthetist with the building blocks for more invasive surgeries.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/28616391