Incisional swelling following celiotomy in cats

Postoperative monitoring of ovariohysterectomy carried out with two types of surgical sutures in shelter cats and differences in selected blood parameters between shelter and pet cats

BACKGROUND

Reduction of inflammation and early detection of complications after surgical procedures are important objectives for proper veterinary practice. This study aimed to evaluate the differences between shelter and pet female cats in selected acute-phase parameters scheduled to ovariohysterectomy. Postoperative monitoring after ovariohysterectomy with the same laboratory parameters was performed in shelter cats, in which two different types of surgical sutures were used for the entire procedure. The experimental group comprised 40 female cats from animal shelters ('shelter cats,' n = 40). These cats were divided into two subgroups: group A (n = 20) operated on with absorbable sutures and group NA (n = 20) operated on with non-absorbable sutures. In addition, the same parameters were evaluated in pet female cats (n = 19). Blood was collected from shelter cats immediately before surgery (term 0), at 24 and 72 h (terms 1 and 3, respectively), and at 7 and 14 days (terms 7 and 14, respectively) after ovariohysterectomy. Blood samples from the pet cat group were collected only once.

RESULT

The mean haptoglobin concentration before ovariohysterectomy in pet cats was significantly lower than that in shelter cats. Fibrinogen concentration was significantly lower in pet cats than in cats from group A. Serum albumin, beta-1, beta-2, and gamma-globulin concentrations were significantly higher in the shelter cats than in the pet cats. Subcutaneous tissue thickening at the site of the postoperative wound was observed in five patients cats (25%) in group A, and two (10%) cats in the NA group.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that ovariohysterectomy leads to local and general inflammatory responses. The majority of cats from animal shelters suffered from subclinical inflammation.

Prospective comparison of perioperative wound and pain score parameters in cats undergoing flank vs midline ovariectomy

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to prospectively compare perioperative pain score and wound parameters, inclusive of postoperative swelling and erythema, between flank and midline ovariectomy (OVE) in cats, performed by final-year veterinary students.

METHODS

Healthy cats presented for routine OVE were randomly assigned to either the midline or flank group after owner consent to participate in the study. Perioperative protocols were standardised for both groups. Clinical data were collected prior to surgery, intraoperatively, at 1 h postoperatively, at the time of discharge, and at 3 and 10 day postoperative re-examination appointments. Data recorded included duration of surgery and anaesthesia, intraoperative complications, Feline Acute Pain Scale (FAPS) scores, a simple descriptive scale of reaction to wound palpation (SDSwound), a dynamic and interactive visual analogue scale assessment of pain (DIVAS), and both a simple descriptive scale (SDSswelling) and a visual analogue scale (VASswelling) of surgical wound swelling.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight cats received a flank OVE and 37 received a midline OVE. Duration of surgery, duration of anaesthesia and intraoperative complications did not vary significantly between the two groups. Cats in both groups had significantly higher FAPS scores after surgery (P = 0.0002), with cats receiving a flank OVE having significantly higher pain scores compared with a midline OVE at 1 h postoperatively (P = 0.0004) and at discharge (P = 0.002). Swelling of the surgical wound (SDSswelling) was significantly higher in cats receiving a midline OVE at the time of discharge (P = 0.048), as well as at the 3 day (P <0.0001) and 10 day (P = 0.001) postoperative re-examinations. FAPS scores were significantly higher in cats receiving a midline OVE at the 3 day (P = 0.016) and 10 day re-examinations (P = 0.045). No cats in either group suffered a wound breakdown or infection.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Our study does not support advocating a preferred surgical approach for feline OVE within a teaching environment.