Objective: To evaluate the agreement of the PetMAP noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP) device with digital cuff and the Mindray NIBP device with wrist cuff with invasive blood pressure (IBP) in bonobos.
Study design: Prospective clinical study (non-blinded or -randomized).
Animals: A group of 12 bonobos aged 5-44 years undergoing anaesthesia for enclosure movement and health checks.
Methods: Systolic (SAP), diastolic (DAP) and mean (MAP) arterial pressure measurements were recorded simultaneously at 5-minute intervals using the NIBP devices and IBP via anterior tibial artery cannulation. Modified Bland-Altman and adapted error grid analyses assessed agreement between IBP and NIBP and the clinical implications of any biases respectively. A 95% limit of agreement (LOA) estimated the possible magnitude of sampling error. Pearson r correlations between IBP and NIBP measurements were calculated. A p < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: IBP ranges were SAP 50-137 mmHg, MAP 32-85 mmHg and DAP 20-69 mmHg. Biases with the PetMAP were -6.8 mmHg for SAP (LOA -41.3 to 27.7 mmHg), -7.2 mmHg for MAP (LOA -30.7 to 16.3 mmHg) and -3.1 mmHg for DAP (LOA -25.5 to 19.3 mmHg) from 84 PetMAP-IBP paired measurements. Correlation coefficients were 0.6 for SAP and DAP and 0.7 for MAP. Whilst 70% of MAP values were clinically acceptable, 13% demonstrated unrecognised hypotension. The Mindray demonstrated biases of -25.3 mmHg for SAP (LOA -69.5 to 18.9 mmHg), -17.5 mmHg for MAP (LOA -51.4 to 16.5 mmHg) and -14.4 mmHg for DAP (LOA -42.2 to 13.5 mmHg) from 95 Mindray-IBP paired measurements. Correlation coefficients were 0.7 for all. Only 45% of MAP values were clinically acceptable and 26% demonstrated unrecognised hypotension.
Conclusions and clinical relevance: Whilst the PetMAP agreed more closely with IBP, neither device met all the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine validation criteria, and neither should be used to identify hypotension.
Objective: To investigate the incidence of peri-anaesthetic complications in dogs undergoing general anaesthesia for thoracic surgery (lateral thoracotomy or median sternotomy) and to identify differences in the rate of peri-anaesthetic complications depending on the surgical approach and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification system.
Study design: Retrospective study.
Animals: Dogs that underwent either thoracotomy or sternotomy at The Small Animal Hospital, University of Edinburgh, between January 2019 and August 2022.
Methods: Data recorded included signalment, surgical approach, indication for surgery, general anaesthesia time, surgery time, time to extubation, anaesthetic management and the use of locoregional anaesthetic techniques, neuromuscular blockers, anticholinergics and/or vasopressor and inotropic agents. The occurrence of peri-anaesthetic complications (yes/no) was analysed by surgical approach and ASA classification using chi-square analysis and logistic regression. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results: A total of 127 anaesthetic records were reviewed, of which 90 met the inclusion criteria; ASA scores were missing from nine leaving 81. Median sternotomy was associated with a significantly longer surgical (p = 0.03) and anaesthetic time (p < 0.01) as well as the time to extubation (p = 0.023). Hypothermia (n = 72) and hypotension (n = 54) were the most prevalent complications observed despite surgical approach or ASA status. Hypoxaemia was more likely to occur in dogs with ASA status IV (n = 10/29) than in dogs with ASA status II and III (n = 7/52) in chi-square analysis (p = 0.026) and binomial logistic regression (p = 0.046).
Conclusions and clinical relevance: Hypothermia and hypotension were common peri-anaesthetic complications. Higher ASA status was associated with a higher likelihood of hypoxaemia, and no significant association was found between complications and surgical approach. Active warming from the premedication stage and ensuring prompt access to fluid therapy, vasopressors, inotropes and anticholinergics are recommended.

