Influence of caudal epidural analgesia on cortisol concentrations and pain-related behavioral responses in mares during and after ovariectomy via colpotomy.
Abstract: To determine the influence of epidural detomidine and morphine on serum corticosteroid concentrations and pain-related behavioral responses in mares during and after ovariectomy via colpotomy. Methods: Blinded prospective study. Methods: Nine university-owned mares. Methods: Five of 9 horses received caudal epidural detomidine hydrochloride (0.01 mg/kg) and morphine sulfate (0.1 mg/kg) prior to surgery. All horses received local anesthetic around the ovarian pedicle, 0.02 mg/kg butorphanol IV at the start of the procedure and after first ovary removal, were sedated as required throughout the procedure, and were monitored for leg lifting, grunting, and abdominal tensing. Horses were monitored hourly for pain postoperatively. Heart rate was recorded every 4 hours, and photographs were taken to assess pain according to the horse grimace scale (HGS). Control group horses (n = 4) were treated with butorphanol (0.02 mg/kg IV) every 4 hours for 24 hours postoperatively. All horses received oral phenylbutazone 18 hours postoperatively. Serum cortisol was measured prior to the procedure, after first and second ovary removal, and 8 and 24 hours postoperatively. Results: No differences were detected between horses receiving caudal epidural detomidine and morphine and those that received systemic opioids. A decrease in HGS score occurred after phenylbutazone administration. Conclusions: Administration of caudal epidural detomidine and morphine resulted in similar pain-related behavior and corticosteroid concentrations as did administration of systemic butorphanol every 4 hours for 24 hours postoperatively. Conclusions: Caudal epidural detomidine and morphine may mitigate the requirement for frequent systemic opioid administration after a potentially painful procedure.
© 2018 The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Publication Date: 2018-05-18 PubMed ID: 29774961DOI: 10.1111/vsu.12908Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
Summary
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This research paper examines the effects of using certain pain-relieving drugs on horses that have undergone ovary removal surgery. The study specifically compares the effects of detomidine and morphine, administered through the tail area, with the effects of periodic opioid administration.
Study Design and Methodology
- The study was a blinded prospective experiment performed on nine mares owned by a university.
- Out of the nine subjects, five received detomidine hydrochloride and morphine sulfate via the tail area prior to surgery. This group was compared against four horses treated with a periodic injection of butorphanol, a type of opioid painkiller, every four hours for a day post-surgery.
- All horses were prepped similarly for the surgical procedure, including sedation, local anesthetic around the pedal of ovary, and were monitored for pain signs throughout the surgery.
- Post-operative pain was measured hourly using the horse grimace scale (HGS), a scale specifically developed to assess pain in horses based on their facial expressions. Serum cortisol, a hormone that increases in response to stress, was also measured at five stages of the surgery and recovery.
Study Results
- Despite the different administration methods and drugs being used, the study found no significant difference in pain-related behavior or corticosteroid concentrations between the mares receiving tail area epidural and those receiving periodic opioid injections.
- Administering phenylbutazone, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), orally 18 hours after the operation notably reduced HGS scores, indicating lower pain levels.
Study Conclusions
- The findings suggest that administering detomidine and morphine via the tail area could be just as effective as frequent opioid injections in managing pain following ovary removal surgery in mares.
- This offers potential benefits in easing management and reducing the need for frequent drug administration during the post-operative period.
Cite This Article
APA
Rowland AL, Glass KG, Grady ST, Cummings KJ, Hinrichs K, Watts AE.
(2018).
Influence of caudal epidural analgesia on cortisol concentrations and pain-related behavioral responses in mares during and after ovariectomy via colpotomy.
Vet Surg, 47(5), 715-721.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.12908 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
MeSH Terms
- Analgesia, Epidural / veterinary
- Analgesics / administration & dosage
- Analgesics / pharmacology
- Analgesics / therapeutic use
- Animals
- Colpotomy / veterinary
- Double-Blind Method
- Female
- Horses / physiology
- Horses / surgery
- Hydrocortisone / blood
- Hydrocortisone / metabolism
- Imidazoles / administration & dosage
- Imidazoles / pharmacology
- Imidazoles / therapeutic use
- Ovariectomy / veterinary
- Pain Measurement / drug effects
- Pain Measurement / veterinary
- Pain, Postoperative / prevention & control
- Pain, Postoperative / veterinary
- Prospective Studies
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Grady ST, Watts AE, Thompson JA, Penedo MCT, Konganti K, Hinrichs K. Effect of intra-ovarian injection of mesenchymal stem cells in aged mares.. J Assist Reprod Genet 2019 Mar;36(3):543-556.
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