A single-cohort retrospective analysis of factors associated with morbidity and mortality in 193 anesthetized domestic goats.

OBJECTIVE: To define the morbidity and mortality rates in goats undergoing general anesthesia at a large animal teaching hospital. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, single-cohort, observational study. ANIMALS: Records of 193 client-owned goats. METHODS: Data were collected from 218 medical records on 193 goats undergoing general anesthesia between January 2017 and December 2021. Demographic data, anesthetic management, recovery period and perianesthetic complications were recorded. Perianesthetic death was defined as anesthesia-related or anesthesia-contributory death occurring within 72 hours after recovery. Records of goats that were euthanized were reviewed to ascertain the cause of euthanasia. Each explanatory variable was individually investigated by univariable penalized maximum likelihood logistic regression, followed by multivariable analysis. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Perianesthetic mortality was 7.3%, but was 3.4% when considering only goats undergoing elective procedures. Multivariable analysis showed that gastrointestinal surgeries [odds ratio (OR) 19.17, standard error (SE) 12.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.08-72.33; p < 0.01] and requirement for perianesthetic norepinephrine infusion (OR 10.85, SE 8.82, 95% CI 2.21-53.33; p < 0.01) were associated with increased mortality. Maintaining other variables equal, the use of perianesthetic ketamine infusion was associated with decreased mortality (OR 0.09, SE 0.09, 95% CI 0.01-0.73; p = 0.02). Anesthesia-related or anesthesia-contributory complications included hypothermia (52.4%), bradycardia (38.1%), hypotension (35.3%), hypoxemia (14.8%), regurgitation/aspiration (7.3%), azotemia/acute renal failure (4.6%), myopathies/neuropathies (4.1%) and fever of unknown origin (2.7%). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In this population, gastrointestinal surgeries and the requirement for perianesthetic norepinephrine infusion were associated with increased mortality in goats undergoing general anesthesia, while ketamine infusion may have a protective effect.

Ophthalmic examination, biometry, and histologic findings in captive inland bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps).

OBJECTIVE: To report ophthalmic examination, biometry, phenol red thread test (PRTT), intraocular pressure (IOP), and histologic findings from a private collection of inland bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps). ANIMALS STUDIED: Fourteen inland bearded dragons. PROCEDURES: Complete ophthalmic examinations were performed on all animals, including slit-lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy, fluorescein stain, phenol red thread test, and rebound tonometry. B-mode ultrasonography was used to measure anterior chamber depth, axial lens thickness, vitreal chamber depth, and axial globe length. Horizontal corneal diameter was estimated using ImageJ software. Histologic assessment was obtained for one of the bearded dragons that died following the study period. RESULTS: The median PRTT value was 7.27 mm/15 seconds. Mean IOP was 6.29 ± 1.60 mm Hg and 2.14 ± 1.37 mm Hg using the dog and undefined calibration settings, respectively. Median axial globe length was 11.75 mm. Mean anterior chamber depth and mean lens thickness were 2.06 ± 0.35 mm and 3.38 ± 0.45 mm, respectively. Median vitreal chamber depth was 6.79 mm. Mean horizontal corneal diameter was 5.138 ± 0.346 mm. Two distinct ocular phenotypes were observed, with two of the bearded dragons having corneal globosa, deep anterior chambers, and tufts of iridal vessels and fibrillar material extending into the anterior chamber. CONCLUSIONS: The ultrasound biometry, PRTT, and rebound tonometry results may serve as a guideline for ophthalmic parameters in healthy bearded dragons. Examination and testing of greater numbers of animals are necessary to establish true reference ranges and determine if the observed ocular phenotypes represent normal variants or pathologic changes.

Effects of magnesium sulfate and propofol on the minimum alveolar concentration preventing motor movement in sevoflurane-anesthetized dogs.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of MgSO4, alone and in combination with propofol, on the minimum alveolar concentration preventing motor movement (MACNM) in sevoflurane-anesthetized dogs. ANIMALS 6 healthy purpose-bred adult male Beagles (least squares mean ± SEM body weight, 12.0 ± 1.1 kg). PROCEDURES Dogs were anesthetized 3 times at weekly intervals. The MACNM was measured 45 minutes after induction of anesthesia (baseline; MACNM-B) and was determined each time by use of a noxious electrical stimulus. Treatments were administered as a loading dose and constant rate infusion (CRI) as follows: treatment 1, MgSO4 loading dose of 45 mg/kg and CRI of 15 mg/kg/h; treatment 2, propofol loading dose of 4 mg/kg and CRI of 9 mg/kg/h; and treatment 3, MgSO4 and propofol combination (same doses used previously for each drug). A mixed-model ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer tests were used to determine effects of each treatment on the percentage decrease from MACNM-B. Data were reported as least squares mean ± SEM values. RESULTS Decrease from MACNM-B was 3.4 ± 3.1%, 48.3 ± 3.1%, and 50.3 ± 3.1%, for treatments 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The decrease for treatments 2 and 3 was significantly different from that for treatment 1; however, no significant difference existed between results for treatments 2 and 3. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE MgSO4 did not affect MACNM, nor did it potentiate the effects of propofol on MACNM. Administration of MgSO4 in this study appeared to provide no clinical advantage as an anesthetic adjuvant.