Lumbosacral intrathecal lidocaine provides adequate analgesia for cesarean sections in goats: 7 cases (2020-2021).

Objective: To evaluate the analgesic efficacy of lumbosacral intrathecal administration of 2% lidocaine in goats undergoing cesarean sections (C-sections).

Animals: 7 client-owned goats.

Procedures: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to identify records of goats undergoing C-sections between January 2020 and November 2021 with intrathecal administration of lidocaine as the primary method of analgesia. Effect of analgesia, American Society of Anesthesiologists status, quality of surgery (determined based on lack of patient movement), mean surgical time, time to stand, and anesthetic complications were recorded.

Results: Intrathecal administration of preservative-free 2% lidocaine (1 mg/kg) at the lumbosacral space with the use of a 20-gauge 3.5-inch (0.9 X 90-mm) spinal needle under aseptic technique achieved effective analgesia in sedated goats by time of skin incision. Adequacy of analgesia was complete (failure to respond to needle-prick of skin or skin incision) in 6 of the 7 goats and moderate in 1 goat. Quality of surgery was adequate in all goats. Mean surgical time was 96 ± 20 minutes, and mean time to stand was 182 ± 61 minutes from the time of intrathecal administration. Complications included ruminal tympany, hypothermia, and partial blockade in 1 goat each.

Clinical Relevance: Results indicated that intrathecal administration of lidocaine as described in the present report provided adequate analgesia for C-sections in goats, with minimal complications, and quicker return to hindlimb motor function postoperatively than historically reported for epidurals.