Fiziološki pokazatelji stresne reakcije u perioperativnom periodu sterilizacije kod ocene dobrobiti kuja / Physiological parameters of stress reactions in the perioperative period of sterilization in welfare asessment of dogs

The way of controlling population of free roaming dogs is their reproduction with the method of "Catch-Neuter-Release". This complex process consist of capturing free roaming dogs in public areas, sterilizing and returning them to the public area from which they were temporarily removed. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the intensity of stress reactions, as a potential cause of distortion dog's welfare in the perioperative period of sterilization, ovariohysterectomy. The experiment was performed on a total of 40 female dogs involved in the programme for free roaming dogs control in the city of Belgrade area. The dogs that were studied, were designated into four groups. The first group underwent abdominal ovariohysterectomy not treated with non-steroid analgesic drugs. The second group underwent abdominal ovariohysterectomy treated with non-steroid anty-inflammatory analgesic, carprofen. The third group underwent abdominal ovariohysterectomy treated intramuscular injection with placebo substance and the fourth group was not underwent abdominal ovariohysterectomy. Each subject underwent abdominal ovaryohisterectomy for the analysis of biochemical and haematological indicators of stress response (cortisol, glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, leukocytes number and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio-N/L index) blood was sampled 5 times (after transporting, 24 hours after transporting, 30, 180 minutes and 24 hours after surgery). From dogs that did not undergo abdominal Ovario-hysterectomy, blood was sampled twice (after transport and 24 hours after transport). Concentration of cortisol determined with chemiluminescent immunoassay method (CLIA). Concentrations of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides determined with spectrophotometric method. For determination the leukocyte formula, neutrophil and lymphocyte ratio were made so that a blood smear was stained with May-Grünwald and Giemsa-Romanowski technique. Also, postoperative sedation and the degree of post-operative pain was assesses The degree of postoperative sedation was assessed at the 15, 30, 60 and 120 minutes after ovariohysterectomy by sedation scale, The degree of post-operative pain was assessed at the 15, 30, 60, 120 minutes and 24 hours after ovariohysterectomy by multi-factorial pain scale. Assessment welfare of dogs in perioperative period of sterilization was based on neurohumoral (cortisol concentration), biochemical (glucose concentration) and immune (number of neutrophil and lymphocyte) indicators of stress reactions. The results obtained in the preoperative period; show that the average values concentrations of cortisol, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, number of leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio, were higher immediately after transport compared to dogs that stayed twenty-four hours in cages at clinic the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. This result shows that the stressors which affected on dogs like procedures of capturing the free roaming dogs from public areas, restraining and transporting at clinic for sterilization, were higher intensity compared with stressors which affected 24 hours after transport. In the postoperative period of dogs sterilization, average values of cortisol concentration 30 minutes after surgery were significantly higher (p <0,01) compared to the preoperative period. Average values of cortisol concentrations were significantly higher 180 minutes after surgery (p<0,01) compared to the preoperative period in the group of dogs who not treated with analgesics and in the group of dogs who were treated intramuscular injection with placebo substance. In the group of dogs who were treated with analgesic, average value of cortisol concentrations decreases 180 minutes after surgery. In the group of dogs who were not treated with analgesic and group of dogs who were treated intramuscular injection with placebo substance, the average values of cortisol concentrations decreases 24 hours after surgery. In the group of dogs who were not treated with analgesic, the average values of glucose obtained 30 and 180 minutes after surgery, were significantly higher (p<0,05) compared to the preoperative period. In the same period, in the group of dogs who were treated with analgesic and group of dogs who were treated intramuscular injection with placebo substance the average values of glucose were significant higher (p<0,01). Average values of cholesterol and triglyceride levels in all groups of dogs were decreased 30 minutes after surgery compared to the preoperative period. The average values of leukocytes were significantly higher (p<0,01) 24 hours after surgery compared to the values obtained 30 minutes after surgery and 24 hours of transport in all group of dogs underwent ovariohysterectomy. Average values of neutrophil were significantly higher (p<0,01) 24 hours after surgery compared to the average values obtained after 24 of transport and 30 minutes after the surgery in all group of dogs underwent ovariohysterectomy. In the group of dogs who were treated with analgesic, sedation level was significantly stronger and the intensity of pain was significantly weaker 15 minutes after surgery compared to the group of dogs who were not treated with analgesics (p<0,05) as well as 30 minutes after the surgery compared the group to the group of dogs who were not treated with analgesics and who were treated intramuscular injection with placebo substance (p<0,05). Based on the physiological parameters of stress reactions, the welfare was most affected in the group of dogs who were not treated with analgesics and in group of dogs who were treated intramuscular injection with placebo substance 180 minutes after ovariohysterectomy, compared with the assessment of welfare obtained in other groups of dogs in the preoperative and postoperative period of ovariohysterectomy.