Stefanos G. Georgiou

Skin wounds in dogs and cats are frequently managed by second-intention healing, yet comparative evidence on topical treatments in these species remains limited. This study investigated wound-healing dynamics in dogs and cats using a standardized experimental model that enabled direct interspecies and within-animal comparison of treatment responses during secondary-intention healing. Standardized full-thickness cutaneous wounds were created on the dorsolateral trunk, with multiple wounds per animal randomly assigned to different treatments, including Manuka honey, Dermapliq, and untreated controls. Healing was evaluated using a multimodal approach, including clinical endpoints, planimetric analysis of epithelialization, contraction and total healing, ultrasonographic assessment, and blinded histopathology. Planimetry-derived total wound healing, the primary endpoint, did not differ significantly among treatments, while treatment-associated differences were identified in selected secondary endpoints. Dermapliq-treated wounds reached complete epithelial coverage earlier and showed smaller ultrasonographic wound areas than untreated controls, whereas Manuka honey was associated with faster complete granulation coverage but greater exudate quantity. Interspecies differences were also identified, with cats generally exhibiting slower progression to key healing endpoints than dogs under identical experimental conditions. These findings suggest species-specific healing responses and phase-dependent treatment-associated differences during secondary-intention wound healing in a controlled experimental model. However, they should not be interpreted as evidence of broad treatment superiority. Further studies in naturally occurring, larger, contaminated, infected, or chronic wounds are required before direct clinical extrapolation.

Introduction: Magnesium acts as a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist and may attenuate central sensitization. Evidence regarding its analgesic- or anaesthetic-sparing effects in dogs remains inconclusive. This prospective, randomized, blinded, controlled clinical study evaluated the effect of intraoperative magnesium sulphate on postoperative pain in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy (OVH). Methods: Twenty-eight bitches were randomly allocated to receive magnesium sulphate ( n = 14; 50 mg kg ⁻¹ IV dose followed by 20 mg kg ⁻¹ h ⁻¹ ) or saline ( n = 14). An a priori power analysis ( α = 0.05, power = 0.8) determined that 28 dogs were required to detect a 2-point difference in the short-form Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS-SF) scores (SD 1.8; Cohen’s d = 1.11). Anaesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with isoflurane. Postoperative pain (primary outcome) was assessed using the CMPS-SF for 48 h. Continuous variables were analyzed using independent-samples t -tests or repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferroni correction; categorical variables were compared using Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: All dogs completed the study ( n = 28). Mean CMPS-SF scores at 1 h post-extubation were significantly lower in the Magnesium group compared with the Control group (3.9 ± 1.5 vs. 5.8 ± 1.9; p = 0.012). Pain scores varied over time ( F = 72.368, p < 0.01), with a significant time x treatment interaction ( F = 2.851, p = 0.004). Intraoperative fentanyl requirements (0.3 ± 0.6 vs. 0.6 ± 0.8 μg kg ⁻¹ ; p = 0.275) and postoperative rescue analgesia rates (21.4% vs. 35.7%; p = 0.673) did not differ between groups. The propofol induction dose was significantly lower in the Magnesium group (2.8 ± 0.5 vs. 3.7 ± 0.4 mg kg ⁻¹ ; p < 0.01), whereas end-tidal isoflurane concentrations were similar ( p = 0.112). Extubation time and time to first head movement were prolonged in the Magnesium group ( p < 0.01). Postoperative serum magnesium concentrations were significantly higher in the Magnesium group ( p < 0.01), while adverse effects did not differ between groups (35.7% vs. 21.4%; p = 0.683). Conclusion: Intraoperative magnesium administration in dogs undergoing OVH, within a multimodal protocol, improved early postoperative analgesia and reduced propofol requirements without an opioid- or isoflurane-sparing effect. The dosing regimen was well tolerated, although recovery duration was prolonged. Clinical impact may be more evident in more invasive procedures or opioid-free approaches.

Music is considered a non-pharmacological adjunct in human anaesthesia, contributing to anaesthetic- and analgesic-sparing effects, modulating autonomic responses, and enhancing recovery. However, its effects in veterinary surgical settings remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to explore the potential influence of intraoperative music on anaesthetic and analgesic requirements, autonomic parameters, intraoperative adverse effects, and recovery quality in dogs undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy under general anaesthesia. In this prospective, randomized exploratory study, client-owned female dogs (n = 28) were randomly assigned to either a music group (exposed to instrumental classical music intraoperatively) or a control group (no music). All dogs received a standardized anaesthetic protocol. Mean end-tidal isoflurane concentrations, intraoperative analgesic requirements, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, adverse effects, and recovery quality were recorded and compared between groups using unpaired t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, or Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed. Therefore, intraoperative music did not produce measurable effects on the assessed parameters. While no apparent benefit was observed in this study, future studies with larger sample sizes should investigate music-based interventions in more challenging or variable clinical scenarios. Additionally, further research is needed to clarify the extent to which anaesthetics suppress auditory processing. This exploratory investigation contributes to the limited body of evidence on auditory stimulation in veterinary anaesthesia.

Research in human medicine has provided sufficient evidence to support music’s incorporation into the perioperative period, suggesting it as a significant non-pharmacological adjunct in terms of a multimodal approach, which should be available to all surgical patients. The literature regarding music’s effect on the perioperative period of dogs and cats is far more limited compared to that of humans, albeit quite promising. In order to design an individualized and potentially successful music intervention in dogs and cats, a stepwise approach is proposed taking into consideration the recommended components, such as music type (genre, tempo, pitch, instrumentation), volume, method of music delivery, duration and timing of the music intervention, frequency of music presentation and the effect of previous music experience. This review aims to provide directions to standardize perioperative music intervention protocols in dogs and cats, incorporate them into clinical practice and propose future perspectives, based on the existing literature evidence both in humans and companion animals.

There is growing evidence regarding non-pharmacological therapies such as music as a supportive approach for the treatment of various clinical conditions in humans. Physiological and neurobiological research suggests that music exposure is related to endorphin, endocannabinoid and dopamine release, favourable effects on autonomic nervous system functioning and is associated with decreased pain perception and reduced stress response. Further evidence in humans demonstrates a beneficial role of music application during the perioperative period by improving various outcome measures, such as the perioperative stress and anxiety levels, the sedation or general anaesthetic requirements, the pain levels, the analgesic requirements and other parameters related to patient prognosis, without reported side effects. Accordingly, such interventions have been considered as a method of environmental enrichment for animal welfare enhancement, by masking potentially disturbing background noises and by ameliorating anxiety or aggressive behaviours in different stressful settings in dogs and cats. Furthermore, research has been lately extended to the potential music’s effect in these species during the perioperative period, considered a stressful setting, as well. This review presents the existing evidence of music application focusing on the perioperative period of dogs and cats, as part of a multimodal approach, to improve their surgical outcome and welfare.

An 8‐year‐old, male, neutered cat underwent forelimb amputation to manage a fibrosarcoma. Utilising a multimodal opioid‐sparing approach, dexmedetomidine, midazolam and buprenorphine were administered for premedication, while induction and maintenance of anaesthesia were achieved with propofol. Additionally, a constant rate of infusion of ketamine and magnesium sulphate, regional ropivacaine infusion through a wound infusion catheter, meloxicam and pregabalin were administered throughout the perioperative period. Postoperative pain was assessed with Unesp–Botucatu Feline Pain Scale and Feline Grimace Scale, while serial measurements of serum magnesium concentrations were carried out up to 36 hours postoperatively. No rescue analgesia was required during the intraoperative or postoperative period, and the cat was discharged on the fourth postoperative day. After 18 months, the cat remains asymptomatic without signs of cancer recurrence. This opioid‐sparing approach contributed to intraoperative haemodynamic stability and an optimal analgesic outcome, despite minimum opioid utilisation. Furthermore, no serious adverse effects, related to magnesium perioperative administration, were observed.

Management of complex feline hindlimb defects is challenging. However, the use of a split semitendinosus myocutaneous (SST) flap for coverage has not yet been reported. The objective of this study was to describe the SST flap and compare it with second-intention healing for the management of complex tibial defects in cats. Two wounds were created on each tibia of 12 purpose-bred laboratory DSH cats. Wounds in group A (n=12) were covered with SST flaps and those in group B (n=12) were left to heal by second intention. In both groups, clinical assessment scoring and planimetry were performed between 1 and 30 postoperative days. CT angiography (CTA) and histological examination were performed on days 0, 10, and 30 and on days 0, 14, 6, and 12 months postoperatively, respectively. Group A had significantly higher assessment scores on days 7 (p=0.002), 14 (p<0.001), 21 (p=0.001), and 30 (p=0.008). The time to complete healing in group A (32,42 days) was significantly higher than that to complete epithelial coverage in group B (24.67 days) (p=0.001). On CTA, significant differences were observed in ST muscle density which was higher on day 10 compared to 0 on the proximal (dP) (p<0.001) and medial (dM) points (p=0,020, p<0,001, p<0,001 respectively) in all three different phases. For the distal (dD) point, the measurement was significantly higher in the precontrast phase (p=0.001) and on day 10 compared today 30 atn all points in all three phases (p<0.001). The caliber of the distal caudal femoral artery and vein and of the proximal gluteal artery and vein were significantly higher on day 10 than on day 0 (p<0.001), on days 10 to 30 (p<0.001), and on days 30 to 0 (p=0.004, p=0.006, p=0.011, p=0.007, respectively). Histologically significant differences were observed on inflammation and muscle cell degeneration which were higher on day 14 than on day 0 and 6 months (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.007 respectively). Neovascularization and fibrosis were significantly higher on day 14 than on day 0 (p=0.010 and p=0.009, respectively). In conclusion, although the ST muscle can be safely longitudinally split and cover tibial defects, the SST flap is less efficient than second-intention healing in terms of the time to complete wound healing.

The objectives of this prospective, randomized, blinded, crossover, experimental study were to detect the potential anaesthetic- and analgesic-sparing effects of classical music provided to dogs undergoing skin surgery, and to investigate the role of substance P as an intraoperative pain indicator. Twenty dogs were included, each subjected to three different treatments: Chopin music, Mozart music and no music. They were premedicated with acepromazine, butorphanol and meloxicam and anaesthetized with propofol and isoflurane. Fentanyl was used as rescue analgesia. The anaesthetic depth was monitored by using the bispectral index along with standard anaesthetic monitoring, and autonomic nervous system responses were used to monitor the adequacy of analgesia. Furthermore, measurements of substance P serum concentration were carried out. Dogs exposed to music required less isoflurane and fentanyl. Furthermore, a statistically significant effect of time on substance P concentration was observed regardless of exposure to music, and there was a significant interaction effect between different timepoints and the type of acoustic stimulus. Classical music seems to have an isoflurane and fentanyl sparing effect on dogs undergoing minor surgery. Following surgical stimulation, the serum substance P concentration increases rapidly, and thus appears to be a potentially useful pain indicator.

Venous thrombosis has been widely studied in humans, but not in dogs. This study was designed to evaluate a venous thrombus in dogs, from creation to solution, by means of various ultrasonographic techniques. Nine healthy Beagle dogs were included in the study. The venous thrombus was formatted by puncturing the lumen of the external jugular veins and then, the veins were examined with B-mode, color Doppler, pulsed-wave Doppler, and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) techniques, at regular intervals, within 210–270 min after venipuncture. Haemodynamic parameters were calculated at two different locations, before and after the site of the thrombus formation. The existence of a thrombus was confirmed by CEUS technique. Thrombus volume and echogenicity were evaluated. The results showed that the visualization of the venous thrombus by color Doppler modality was not feasible in some veins. The blood volume was the parameter that could more precisely indicate the presence or absence of a thrombus. In cases where thrombus volume was less than 0.001 cm³, it was impossible to detect its presence using haemodynamic parameters. The CEUS imaging depicted accurately the size and shape of an anechoic venous thrombus, even when its volume was 0.001cm³.

The formation of adhesions is a common complication following traumatic injuries and surgical procedures, often resulting in pain, stiffness, and loss of function. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of using a composite material comprising of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), polyethylene oxide (PEO), and calcium chloride, for preventing adhesions between muscle and bone during the healing stage, as well as its effect on the bone healing process. Ten healthy purpose-bred laboratory Beagle dogs were randomly subjected to two consecutive operations with a 6-month interval, alternating between left and right forelimbs. On the left forelimb an osteotomy at the ulna was performed, while on the right forelimb the same procedure was supplemented by the application of the anti-adhesion agent in the osteotomy site prior to closure. Clinical, diagnostic imaging, macroscopic, and histological evaluations were performed at various time points. The results showed no significant differences in surgical site perimeter (p = 0.558), lameness (p = 0.227), and radiographic bone healing (p = 0.379) between the two groups. However, the macroscopic (p = 0.006) and histological assessments revealed significantly lower adhesion scores (p = 0.0049) and better healing (p = 0.0102) in the group that received the anti-adhesion agent. These findings suggest that the CMC/PEO composite material is a safe and potentially effective intervention for preventing post-traumatic and post-surgical adhesions in canine patients without compromising bone healing. Further research is warranted to fully characterize the clinical benefits of this approach.