Liposomal bupivacaine use is not associated with a higher rate of surgical site infections or multidrug-resistant infections in dogs undergoing anal sacculectomy.

Abstract

Objective: To describe whether infiltration of liposomal bupivacaine (LB) is a risk factor for the development of surgical site infection (SSI) in anal sacculectomy (AS) and compare bacterial isolates from SSIs in animals that received LB and those that did not.

Methods: A medical record review was performed at Colorado State University for dogs undergoing AS between August 2019 and October 2024. Data retrieved included signalment, reason for AS, anesthesia time, additional procedure performed, perioperative and postoperative antibiotic administration, use of LB, development of SSI, and bacterial isolates.

Results: The study population included 105 dogs that underwent a total of 121 ASs. In 18 of 105 cases (17.1%), SSI was noted. For the cases where LB was infiltrated intraoperatively, the rate of SSI was 17.5% (11 of 63). In cases where LB was not used, the rate of SSI was 16.7% (7 of 42). The most common bacterial isolates were Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. Of the 10 cultures, 8 had resistance profiles and 2 of 8 (25%) were found to have multidrug-resistant bacteria present, with no difference between the groups.

Conclusions: This study did not show that LB was a significant risk factor for the development of SSI or multidrug-resistant infections.

Clinical relevance: Incisional infiltration of LB does not seem to be associated with a higher rate of SSI or higher rates of multidrug-resistant infections in dogs undergoing AS.