Dany Elzahaby

Continuous extradural infusions (CEIs) provide sustained analgesia, avoiding fluctuations seen with bolus administrations. An extradural catheter was placed in a cat with severe abdominal trauma following a vehicular accident. To provide sustained pain relief, a CEI of 0.5% ropivacaine at 0.18 mg/kg/h or 0.036 mL/kg/h was initiated, resulting in improved analgesia, as shown by lower scores on both the Feline Grimace Scale (FGS) and the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale-Feline (CMPS-Feline). During treatment, the cat developed hypersalivation, which persisted after catheter removal at 72 h. Eventually, the cat's condition deteriorated, with signs of sepsis leading to euthanasia due to a poor prognosis. Potential contributors to the cat's decline included systemic infection, local anaesthetic systemic toxicity, or opioid-related effects. This report describes the placement of an extradural catheter in a cat, highlighting the potential of CEI in feline pain management while emphasising the need for further research on its pharmacokinetics and safety.

A 4-year-old neutered female rottweiler underwent three separate anaesthetic events for the diagnosis and treatment of cranial cruciate ligament rupture. The patient was otherwise healthy, with consistently normal pre-anaesthetic electrolyte values. However, during the second anaesthetic procedure, the patient developed severe hyperkalaemia with life-threatening cardiovascular compromise. Prompt treatment led to rapid normalisation of plasma potassium levels and resolution of cardiac abnormalities. This case highlights the need for further research to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this rare but serious complication. Clinicians should remain vigilant, as intra-anaesthetic hyperkalaemia, though uncommon, can be fatal. While the condition has been historically associated with greyhounds, recently reported cases in rottweilers may warrant similar concern.

Inhalational anaesthetic agents are routinely used in veterinary anaesthesia practices, yet their consumption contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact. We conducted a 55-day observational study at a veterinary teaching hospital in Switzerland, monitoring isoflurane and sevoflurane consumption across small, equine and farm animal clinics and analysed the resulting environmental impact. Results revealed that in total, 9.36 L of isoflurane and 1.27 L of sevoflurane were used to anaesthetise 409 animals across 1,489 h. Consumption rates varied among species, with small and farm animals ranging between 8.7 and 13 mL/h, while equine anaesthesia exhibited a higher rate, 41.2 mL/h. Corresponding to 7.36 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in total environmental emissions or between 2.4 and 31.3 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per hour. Comparison to human anaesthesia settings showed comparable consumption rates to small animals, suggesting shared environmental implications, albeit on a smaller scale. This research highlights the importance of continued evaluation of veterinary anaesthesia practices to balance patient safety with environmental stewardship; potential mitigation strategies are explored and discussed.