Effects of continuous rate intravenous infusion of butorphanol on physiologic and outcome variables in horses after celiotomy.

The research is a clinical trial that examines the effects of using a continuous rate infusion (CRI) of butorphanol in horses following abdominal surgery. The results suggest that butorphanol reduces pain, stress responses and facilitates recovery in these horses.

Methodology

• The study was a randomized, controlled, blinded clinical trial with a total sample of 31 horses, all of which were due to undergo exploratory celiotomy for abdominal pain.
• Horses were randomly assigned to either the treatment group or control group. Treatment horses received the continuous rate infusion of butorphanol while control horses received isotonic saline.
• All horses, regardless of which group they were in, also received flunixin meglumine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, every 12 hours intravenously.
• Preoperative and operative variables were measured across both groups to ensure there were no significant differences that could impact the study’s results.

Results

• Post-surgery, horses that received butorphanol CRI recorded significantly lower plasma cortisol concentrations than control horses at several observed times (2, 8, 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours after surgery). Cortisol is a hormone often used as an indicator of stress, suggesting the treatment reduced the stress experienced by horses.
• The butorphanol CRI also seemed to mitigate weight loss in the horses whilst they were hospitalized. The weight loss of the horses in the butorphanol group was significantly less when compared to the horses in the control group.
• The treatment also correlated with a delay in the first passage of feces post-surgery, with treatment horses taking a median time of 15 hours compared to the 4 hours for control horses.
• In terms of behaviour, horses treated with butorphanol demonstrated significantly better scores in the first 24 hours after surgery when compared to the control horses. This suggests that those horses experienced less pain.

Conclusion

• The butorphanol continuous rate infusion, administered during the immediate postoperative period, appears to effectively decrease plasma cortisol concentrations and improve recovery characteristics in horses undergoing abdominal surgery.
• These results suggest that this treatment modality could be utilized to decrease pain and stress responses in horses recovering from abdominal surgeries, ensuring better welfare and quicker recovery times.