The school's anesthesia section is studying the difference between epidural and IV constant rate infusion pain relief in surgical patients.

Patients admitted to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for a TPLO will be offered enrollment in this study which will benefit future patients. All enrolled patients receive full anesthetic support as normal. During surgery, some enrollees will receive an epidural with preservative free morphine and lidocaine. The others will receive an IV constant rate infusion of morphine, lidocaine and ketamine.

After surgery, patients enrolled in the study will be evaluated by pain scoring and measuring drug concentrations in the plasma.

The goal is to find out which is the better method for analgesia as it relates to orthopedic and other procedures.

For more information, or to recommend a client's animal for this study, please contact Dr. Erin Wendt Hornickle or Dr. Lindsey Snyder at 608/263-7600.