Analgesic effects of a retrobulbar block with 0.75% ropivacaine in dogs undergoing enucleation.

Objective: To assess the analgesic effects of a retrobulbar block with ropivacaine in dogs undergoing enucleation.

Study Design: Prospective, randomized, masked placebo-controlled trial.

Animals: A total of 23 client-owned dogs.

Methods: Dogs were randomized to be administered a preoperative inferior-temporal palpebral retrobulbar injection of either ropivacaine 0.75% (1 mL 10 kg; group RG) or equivalent volume of 0.9% saline (control; group CG). Intraoperative variables recorded to detect a response to noxious stimuli included heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Three observers assessed and recorded pain using a numerical rating pain scale and visual analog scale (VAS) before anesthesia (baseline) and postoperatively at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 24 hours after extubation. Rescue analgesia was administered if intraoperative HR or MAP increased by ≥ 20% from the previously recorded surgical time point, average postoperative pain scores totaled ≥ 9/20, scored ≥ 3/4 in any one category with VAS ≥ 35/100, or if VAS was ≥ 35/100 with a palpation score > 0/4.

Results: Intraoperatively, there was no significant difference in HR or MAP between groups. Rescue analgesia was administered intraoperatively to four and one dogs and postoperatively to five and seven dogs in groups CG and RG, respectively, with no significant difference between groups. VAS scores were significantly lower in ropivacaine dogs at extubation (p = 0.02), but not at other postoperative time points. Adverse events were not observed in either group.

Conclusions And Clinical Relevance: Preoperative retrobulbar 0.75% ropivacaine injection (1 mL 10 kg) provided analgesia in dogs following enucleation at extubation; however, intraoperative and postoperative pain control did not differ from a placebo injection with saline. Lack of differences between groups may have been influenced by sample size limitations.