Does perioperative electroacupuncture reduce postoperative pain in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy?

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the analgesic efficacy of perioperative electroacupuncture in fifty-six healthy female dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy as part of a catch-neuter-release project. Materials and methods: Ten minutes after sedation with 20 μg/kg medetomidine combined with 0.3 mg/kg butorphanol intramuscularly, the dogs were randomly allocated into two groups and received either electroacupuncture (EA, Results: Postoperative pain scores did not differ significantly between the groups ( Discussion: The results of the study indicate that perioperative electroacupuncture treatment did not improve postoperative pain in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy. Therefore, a 10-min electroacupuncture treatment may be insufficient to provide effective postoperative analgesia. The pain assessment in feral dogs was notably impacted by anxious behavior, which may have influenced the final outcome The pain threshold was exceeded in ¾ of the dogs in the early postoperative phase (T3, T6), suggesting that the widely used anesthesia protocol consisting of butorphanol, ketamine and medetomidine in combination with meloxicam may not provide long-lasting and sufficient pain relief.