Opioid-free anaesthesia for surgical attenuation of a congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt in a dog

Animals with impaired hepatic metabolism may experience reduced effect from some anaesthetic drugs and are more prone to developing unwanted side effects. Due to reduced blood flow to the liver, it is important to carefully select anaesthetic drugs in patients with extrahepatic shunt. We present the case in which a dog was submitted for surgical attenuation of congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt through placement of an ameroid constrictor. A multimodal regimen was designed in order to provide an opioid-free anaesthesia, relying on analgesia through a locoregional quadratus lumborum block with bupivacaine. Dexmedetomidine was administered intramuscularly as pre-anaesthetic medication, propofol was used for the induction and anaesthesia was maintained with isoflurane. The present case describes the first case in which an extrahepatic portosystemic shunt was surgically treated using an opioid-free anaesthesia in a dog.