Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Gastroesophageal reflux risk in female dogs during spay
By Anagnostou, Tilemahos L et al.·Published in Veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia·2015·School of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The effect of the stage of the ovarian cycle (anoestrus or dioestrus) and of pregnancy on the incidence of gastro-oesophageal reflux in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A healthy female dog undergoing a spay surgery (ovariohysterectomy) in the second half of her pregnancy was found to have a higher chance of experiencing gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR), which is when stomach contents flow back into the esophagus. In a study of 94 dogs, those in late pregnancy showed more signs of acid reflux compared to non-pregnant dogs. While the overall rates of reflux were not dramatically different, the trend suggests that pregnant dogs may need special care during surgery to prevent this issue. It's important for pet owners to discuss any concerns about their pregnant dog undergoing surgery with their veterinarian.
People also search for: dog pregnancy surgery risks · spaying pregnant dog reflux · dog gastro-oesophageal reflux treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential association of increased blood progesterone (P4 ) concentrations and/or late pregnancy with the incidence of gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR), in healthy bitches undergoing ovariohysterectomy under general anaesthesia during anoestrus or dioestrus or during the second half of pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study. ANIMALS: Ninety-four healthy, female, dogs, aged 1-8 years presented for elective ovariohysterectomy. METHODS: Non-pregnant animals were classified into group A (anoestrus) (n = 35) if blood P4 concentration was sufficiently low or group D (dioestrus) (n = 26) if blood P4 concentration was sufficiently high. All animals in the second half of pregnancy were classified into group P (n = 33). Acepromazine (0.05 mg kg(-1) ) was administered intramuscularly as preanaesthetic medication, and sodium thiopental (10 mg kg(-1) , with additional doses if needed) was administered intravenously (IV) for induction of anaesthesia. After endotracheal intubation, halothane (1.1-1.3% end-tidal concentration) in oxygen was used for maintenance of anaesthesia. Lower oesophageal pH was monitored continuously throughout surgery using a pH-measuring probe. Reflux was considered to have occurred whenever pH values of >7.5 (alkaline reflux) or <4 (acid reflux) were recorded. On completion of surgery, carprofen (4 mg kg(-1) ) was administered IV. Further administration of analgesics post-operatively was dictated by visual analogue scale pain scoring. RESULT: Acid GOR was observed in five of 26 dogs in group D, six of 35 group A, and 12 of 33 group P (p = 0.152). The incidence of GOR in group P approached statistical significance and was higher than the incidence in the combined group A + D (one sided p = 0.044, two sided p = 0.077). CONCLUSIONS: In dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy, GOR during anaesthesia occurs with a high incidence in dogs in the second half of pregnancy compared to non-pregnant animals during anoestrus or dioestrus. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Measures could be taken in such cases to avoid the consequences of potential reflux.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25348341/