Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
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The auditory evoked potential (AEP) is correlated to anaesthetic depth. The AEP has been used in rats, pigs, dogs and humans to assess anaesthetic depth. This study was undertaken to determine whether the AAI Index derived from the AEP correlated with changes in end tidal isoflurane concentration in dogs. ⋯ A linear regression between the AAI Index and isoflurane revealed the following relationship: AAI = 29.074 - (4.2755 x isoflurane) with a power of 0.913. The polynomial regression relationship was AAI = 53.334 - (35.715 x isoflurane) + (10.322 x isoflurane2) - (0.43646 x isoflurane3) with a power of 0.999. The AAI Index was found to correlate with changes in isoflurane concentration.
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The volatile anaesthetic agents halothane, isoflurane and enflurane are all chlorofluorocarbons and according to international treaties, their emission into the atmosphere will be prohibited from the year 2030. The agents desflurane and sevoflurane are fluorinated hydrocarbons and act as greenhouse gases. The future of veterinary anaesthesia could be dependent on the development of total intravenous anaesthesia. ⋯ The most dramatic changes in plasma concentration occurred in the first hour of an infusion. Similarly, the infusion rates decreased most in the first 70 min. Most changes in anaesthetic depth are likely to occur early in the course of TIVA and careful observation of anaesthetic depth is required.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of morphine and carprofen administered alone or in combination for analgesia in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy.
In this study the analgesic efficacy of the pure agonistic opioid morphine and the cyclo-oxygenase type-2-selective carprofen were compared since there is no previous specific comparative study for these two common analgesics. Forty-five bitches undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy were randomly assigned to one of three groups; receiving morphine 0.4 mg/kg bodyweight pre-operatively and 0.2 mg/kg every 4-6 hours thereafter (Morphine group), receiving a once-off carprofen 4 mg/kg injection (Carprofen group) or receiving both morphine and carprofen (MorphCarp group). The dogs were premedicated with acepromazine 0.01 mg/kg and induced with either thiopentone 5-10 mg/kg or propofol 4-6 mg/kg. ⋯ Baseline total pain-scores were lower than scores at all post-operative points within all three groups. Both morphine and carprofen provided good analgesia without any obvious adverse effects. This study indicates that at the dosages indicated above, carprofen administered on its own produces analgesia equal to that produced by morphine and that the two drugs administered together do not produce better analgesia than either drug administered on its own.
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A practical method was developed to assess the extent of burns suffered by elephants caught in bush fires. In developing this method, the surface areas of the different body parts of juvenile, subadult and adult elephants were first determined using standard equations, and then expressed as a percentage of the total body surface area. When viewed from a distance, the burnt proportion of all body segments is estimated, converted to percentages of total body surface area, and then summed to determine the extent of burns suffered.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of xylazine, lignocaine and their combination for lumber epidural analgesia in water buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis).
The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of xylazine alone (0.05 mg/kg), lignocaine alone (2.0 mg/kg) and a combination of xylazine and lignocaine (0.05 mg/kg and 2.0 mg/kg, respectively) after lumbar epidural administration in water buffalo calves. Fifteen nondescript, male water buffalo calves of 6-8 months of age and weighing between 55 and 75 kg were randomly placed in 3 groups (A, B and C). The agents were administered at the 1st lumbar epidural space. ⋯ However, total proteins and albumin decreased in the 3 groups. The plasma electrolytes sodium, potassium and chloride did not show any significant change. The results of this study indicated a possible additive analgesic interaction between epidurally administered xylazine and lignocaine, without causing any marked systemic effects in water buffalo calves.