The effects of acupuncture point Pericardium 6 on hydromorphone-induced nausea and vomiting in healthy dogs. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of needling at acupuncture point Pericardium 6 on hydromorphone-induced nausea and vomiting. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical study. ANIMALS: Eighty-one mixed-breed, healthy dogs aged 1.81.6years and weighing 14.55.6 kg, admitted for elective ovariohysterectomy (n= 75) or castration (n=6). METHODS: Dogs were randomly assigned to one of three groups: acupuncture at Pericardium 6 (AT, n= 27); alternative acupuncture at Lung 5 (ST, n=27), and no acupuncture (CT, n=27). During time 0-30 minutes (baseline), occurrences of hypersalivation, vomiting and licking were recorded. At 30minutes, subjects were administered hydromorphone (0.1mg kg(-1) ) in combination with acepromazine (0.03mg kg(-1) ) intramuscularly. During time 30-45 minutes (post-injection), occurrences of hypersalivation, vomiting and licking were recorded by an observer unaware of group assignment. Groups were compared using a Kruskal-Wallis test followed by a Dunn's post-test, or Fisher's exact tests when appropriate. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, weight or baseline observations among groups. Vomiting incidence post-injection was higher in the CT (20/27, 74.1%) and ST (22/27, 81.5%) groups than in the AT (10/27, 37.0%) group (p=0.0129 and p=0.002, respectively). The number of vomiting episodes [median (range)] after opioid administration was higher in the ST [1 (1-6)] than the AT [0 (0-2)] group (p=0.0040). There were no differences in the median number of vomiting episodes between the ST and CT [1 (0-3)] or AT and CT groups. There were no differences in hypersalivation or licking among groups after hydromorphone-acepromazine administration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Pericardium 6 acupuncture reduced the incidence of hydromorphone-induced vomiting in healthy dogs. This cost-effective technique can improve patient well-being and comfort during the perioperative period.

published proceedings

  • Vet Anaesth Analg

altmetric score

  • 9.5

author list (cited authors)

  • Scallan, E. M., & Simon, B. T.

citation count

  • 11

complete list of authors

  • Scallan, Elizabeth M||Simon, Bradley T

publication date

  • January 2016