Perioperative anaesthetic complications in healthy cats undergoing anaesthesia for neutering in first opinion practice
Perioperative anaesthetic complications in healthy cats undergoing anaesthesia for neutering in first opinion practice
Open access
In our edition of: Dec 2024
In our categories of: small animals
our summary:
Brown, J.F. et al. (2024) Perioperative anaesthetic complications in healthy cats undergoing anaesthesia for neutering in first opinion practice. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 26 (10).
The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the prevalence of perioperative anaesthetic complications in healthy cats undergoing neutering in first opinion practice.
Anaesthetic records of cats attending three UK primary care veterinary practices for neutering were retrospectively reviewed. Data including signalment, ASA status, comorbidities, anaesthetic protocol and anaesthetic monitoring parameters, trap–neuter–return status, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, complications and any additional relevant events was extracted. A definition of complications was created based on a review of relevant literature these were hypoxaemia, hypocapnia, hypercapnia, hypothermia, hyperthermia, bradycardia, tachycardia, hypotension and hypertension.
Data from 1,019 cases was included in the study, with similar numbers of male and female cats. Most cats (1,008) were classified as ASA grade I-II, and the majority of cats were domestic crossbreeds (875), and client owned (817). Comorbidities were recorded in 62 cats.
General anaesthesia was used in 1,015 cats, pre-anaesthetic medication of medetomidine/opioid combination was used in 925 cats, acepromazine/opioid in 55 cats, and a ketamine-based protocol in 33 cats.
In this study the anaesthetic related mortality rate was 0.10% (one cat). Anaesthetic-related complications were observed in 544 cats, the most common complications were hypotension (22.6%), bradycardia (16.7%) and hypothermia (13.8%). Increased risk of hypotension was associated with pre-anaesthetic medication with acepromazine, higher maximum isoflurane dose, lower body weight and longer anaesthetic duration. Factors associated with increased risk of hypothermia were higher maximum isoflurane dose, increased anaesthetic duration and lower body weight, and those associated with increased risk of bradycardia were medetomidine pre-anaesthetic medication, longer anaesthetic duration and higher body weight.
Limitations of the study include the retrospective nature, missing data in the records, that there was no standardisation of pre-anaesthetic medications, and that not all variables were monitored in all the cats.
This study provides evidence of the prevalence of anaesthetic complications in apparently healthy cats undergoing anaesthesia for neutering. The results drawn from a large population sample provide a useful benchmark for first opinion practices looking to audit or reduce anaesthetic complications in their own practice.
The following may also be of interest:
inFOCUS: Reducing errors in veterinary practice – 5. Risk and error in veterinary practice: anaesthesia [RCVS Knowledge] [online] Available from https://infocus.rcvsknowledge.org/revp-risk-and-error-in-veterinary-practice-anaesthesia/ [Accessed 28 December 2024]
Robertson, S.A. et al. (2018) AAFP feline anesthesia guidelines. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 20 (7), pp. 602-634. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X18781391
inFOCUS: Mortality related to general anaesthesia and sedation in dogs under UK primary veterinary care [RCVS Knowledge] [online] https://infocus.rcvsknowledge.org/mortality-related-to-general-anaesthesia-and-sedation-in-dogs-under-uk-primary-veterinary-care/ [Accessed 28 December 2024]
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