33rd Annual Scientific Meeting proceedings

Objectives
To assess and quantify the benefit of intraperitoneal local anaesthetic (IPLA) administration with bupivacaine to dogs undergoing three-port laparoscopic ovariectomy.

Study design
Prospective, randomized, blinded clinical study.

Animals
32 client-owned dogs, assigned ASA I or II.

Methods
Dogs were randomly assigned to treatment groups: group 2 received 2 mg/kg of intraperitoneal bupivacaine on placement of the first (cranial) port, and group 1 did not. At baseline and 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 hours post-extubation, sedation scores and GCPS-SF were performed by an assessor who was unaware of treatment group. Dogs were discharged the same day with meloxicam (0.1mg/kg PO SID) and owner questionnaires were completed for three days. Repeated-measures categorical data were analysed using generalised estimating equations for the effect of treatment group. The statistical model was fitted with poisson errors and a logarithm-link function. Significance (Wald statistic, degrees of freedom, c2 probability) was accepted at 3.74, 1df, <0.05, respectively.

Results
Surgical time did not differ significantly between groups. Sedation scores showed no difference between treatment groups at any timepoint.  GCPS-SF increased over the first few hours post-extubation, with no difference between treatment groups. Weight category did not influence either measure. Owner questionnaire results showed no difference between treatment groups. No adverse effects were reported.

Conclusions and Clinical Significance
IPLA is both safe and feasible in first opinion practice, with no adverse effects or significant difference in surgical time seen. Whilst no clinical advantage was demonstrated, no patients required rescue analgesia. As such, further studies involving a different anaesthetic protocol and/or procedures are warranted.