An Observational Survey Study on the Use of Locoregional Anaesthesia in Non-Conventional Species: Current Practice and Potential Future Developments

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Locoregional anaesthesia is a useful tool to improve perioperative analgesia, and its use continues to progressively increase in both small animal pets and human patients. However, whether and how locoregional anaesthesia is being used in non-conventional animal species is largely unknown. This study was designed to answer these questions, as well as to identify specific research areas on this topic that would be useful to increase the use of locoregional anaesthesia in non-domestic species. This study revealed that locoregional anaesthesia is still relatively underutilised in non-conventional animal species, although there is a tendency to utilise specific blocks routinely, especially in rabbits and rodents, which have become popular as pets. Reluctance to perform locoregional anaesthesia was reported to be due to a lack of species-specific information on effective and toxic doses of local anaesthetics and a paucity of blocks that are specifically developed for non-conventional species. It is concluded that novel studies that focus on species-specific, applied pharmacology of local anaesthetics and block techniques—particularly dental blocks for rabbits and rodents and blocks for the wings of birds—could promote more widespread use of locoregional anaesthetic techniques in non-conventional animal species. ABSTRACT: The objectives of this study were to investigate the current attitudes of veterinarians towards the use of locoregional anaesthesia in non-conventional animal species and to identify areas for future useful research on this topic. A questionnaire was circulated online. A total of 417 veterinarians, including American and European specialists/specialists-in-training in both zoological medicine and anaesthesia/analgesia (ACZM/ECZM and ACVAA/ECVAA), participated in the study. Fifty-nine percent of respondents performed locoregional anaesthesia in rabbits, with intratesticular injections and local infiltration being the most commonly-reported techniques. ACZM/ECZM specialists reportedly performed dental blocks in rabbits more frequently than ACVAA/ECVAA specialists (p = 0.030). Forty percent of respondents performed locoregional anaesthesia in rodents, with intratesticular injections, topical/splash blocks and local infiltration being the most commonly reported techniques. The proportions of respondents who reportedly used locoregional anaesthesia in ferrets, birds and reptiles were 37.9%, 34.5% and 31.2%, respectively. The use of Tuohy (p < 0.001) and spinal needles (p < 0.001), as well as of ultrasonography (p = 0.009) and nerve-stimulators (p < 0.001), was more common among ACVAA/ECVAA compared to ACZM/ECZM specialists. Major topic areas for future research were identified as dental block techniques for rabbits and rodents and blocks for the wings of birds.