AEMV ForumEvaluating Postoperative Parameters in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus) Following Routine Orchiectomy
Section snippets
Animals
This study was approved through the University of California, Davis Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (protocol #16783). In total, 14 intact male, 9- to 10-month-old Duncan-Hartley guinea pigs ranging in body weight from 0.874 to 1.267 kg were used for this study. The guinea pigs were purchased from a commercial laboratory vendor. Their health was assessed via physical examination with no overt signs of clinical disease being identified. On arrival, all guinea pigs were numerically
Results
A guinea pig from the meloxicam group died during recovery from anesthesia; however, a complete postmortem examination (gross and histopathology) did not provide a cause for the guinea pigs death. Data from this subject were excluded and a total of 13 guinea pigs (meloxicam group n = 6; control group n = 7) were then included for all analyses.
Hay (P = 0.015), pellet (P < 0.001), and water (P = 0.002) consumption (Fig. 1) decreased significantly postoperatively when compared to the preoperative
Discussion
This study was developed to evaluate criteria for assessing postoperative behavioral changes in male guinea pigs postorchiectomy after the use of 1 of 2 postoperative analgesic treatment protocols. Significant changes occurred in vital parameters, consumption, and EVF mechanical thresholds postoperatively in all animals regardless of group. Although these changes are significant and may suggest some degree of postoperative pain and discomfort, there are some fundamental limitations of this
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the Silicon Valley Foundation for their financial support of this study and Dr. Peter Pascoe for the use of the EVF filaments.
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2023, Veterinary Clinics of North America - Exotic Animal PracticeCitation Excerpt :Weight loss and food consumption are associated with postoperative buprenorphine treatment in rats (0.03 mg/kg, twice daily for 3 days) and may extend several days beyond the end of treatment.84 In guinea pigs, weight loss remained below a 10% threshold for providing analgesia, despite changes in heart and respiratory rates, food consumption, and mechanical hypersensitivity.70 Although a decrease in food consumption is a widely accepted indicator of compromised well-being, and frequently advocated as an outcome measure by veterinarians, there is little evidence that it is either a sensitive or specific indicator of pain, although it may serve as an item within a composite measure pain scale.70
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