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Animals
Special Issues
Anaesthesia and Analgesia in Laboratory Animals
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Anaesthesia and Analgesia in Laboratory Animals

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Clinical Studies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 4009

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carlotta Lambertini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of veterinary medical sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italy
Interests: veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia; laboratory animal medicine
Dr. Domenico Ventrella

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of veterinary medical sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italy
Interests: physiology of reproduction; translational medicine; animal models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight the most recent advancements in anaesthesia and analgesia for laboratory animals.

Biomedical research involves several animal species including rodents, rabbits, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, ruminants, swine, dogs and cats, and non-human primates. Anaesthesia or analgesic treatment in these animals is required in several situations, either correlated with the experimental procedures or with the clinical conditions of the animals. In these cases, the anaesthetic and analgesic approach should consider not only the species-specific characteristics, in some cases the peculiarities of the strain, but also the objectives and the requirements of the research protocol. It is now widely recognised that the refinement of the anaesthesia and analgesia is crucial not only for ensuring animal wellbeing, but also for high-quality research outcomes.

We therefore invite the submission of original studies, case reports, or reviews focusing on anaesthesia and analgesia, including loco-regional anaesthetic techniques, specifically refined for laboratory animal species.

Dr. Carlotta Lambertini
Dr. Domenico Ventrella
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • analgesia
  • anesthesia
  • animal models
  • biomedical research
  • experimental surgery
  • refinement
  • translational medicine
  • 3Rs

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 788 KB  
Article
Dexmedetomidine Versus Clonidine as an Adjuvant to Lidocaine Spinal Anesthesia in an Ovine Experimental Model
by Claudia Piemontese, Caterina Vicenti, Alberto Maria Crovace, Roberta Pizzi, Marzia Stabile, Marta Guadalupi, Luca Lacitignola and Francesco Staffieri
Animals 2026, 16(2), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16020197 - 9 Jan 2026
Viewed by 717
Abstract
Sheep are routinely used as orthopedic models due to their similarities to human joints. Spinal anesthesia provides adequate analgesia for these procedures, and its duration can be enhanced with adjuvant drugs. Clonidine is commonly used in human spinal anesthesia, while dexmedetomidine is a [...] Read more.
Sheep are routinely used as orthopedic models due to their similarities to human joints. Spinal anesthesia provides adequate analgesia for these procedures, and its duration can be enhanced with adjuvant drugs. Clonidine is commonly used in human spinal anesthesia, while dexmedetomidine is a newer and more selective α-2 agonist. This study compared the duration and analgesic effect of these two drugs as adjuvants in spinal anesthesia. Thirty-nine sheep undergoing experimental pelvic limb cartilage damage surgery were enrolled. Animals were sedated with diazepam (0.4 mg kg−1) and buprenorphine (10 μg kg−1) intravenously. Propofol was given as needed (0.5 mg kg−1) and oxygen support via face mask was continuous. Animals were positioned with the treated limb in a dependent position for the lumbosacral spinal block. Sheep were divided into three groups (n = 13), receiving lidocaine 2% (L group), lidocaine 2% + clonidine 20 μg mL−1 (CL group), or lidocaine 2% + dexmedetomidine 1 μg mL−1 (LD group) for spinal block (1 mL every 10 kg). Recovery times (minute) from the spinal block were recorded: anal sphincter tone (AS), recovery of sensibility (RoS), first limb movements (FMov), time of standing (ToS), and first rescue analgesia; ataxia (ATA) was also measured after standing. Dexmedetomidine increased the duration of spinal anesthesia, affecting both motor and sensory functions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anaesthesia and Analgesia in Laboratory Animals)
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14 pages, 684 KB  
Article
Incidence of Post-Sedation Emesis in Cynomolgus (Macaca fascicularis) and Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) Macaques, and Evaluation of Prophylactic Antiemetic Efficacy
by Rachel Coley, Sierra D. Palmer, Jennifer Hubbard and Melanie L. Graham
Animals 2025, 15(22), 3292; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15223292 - 14 Nov 2025
Viewed by 788
Abstract
Emesis is one of the most common side effects of ketamine sedation; however, predictors like species and sex have not been studied in macaques. This study aimed to determine the incidence and predictors of emesis in macaques undergoing ketamine sedation and to assess [...] Read more.
Emesis is one of the most common side effects of ketamine sedation; however, predictors like species and sex have not been studied in macaques. This study aimed to determine the incidence and predictors of emesis in macaques undergoing ketamine sedation and to assess the efficacy of orally administered antiemetics in preventing emesis. A retrospective analysis was performed using medical records from rhesus and cynomolgus macaques who received ketamine sedation for veterinary examination events from August 2023 to April 2024. Among the 70 sedations performed using IM ketamine, the overall incidence of emesis was 26%. Cynomolgus macaques had a significantly higher risk of emesis (odds ratio (OR) 46.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): 7.08–493.9; p < 0.0001), with an emesis incidence of 55%. Females showed a higher incidence of emesis (75%) with an odds ratio of 3.72 (95% CI: 0.55–17.91; p = 0.24), though this difference was not statistically significant. In a prospective, randomized study, we compared the prophylactic use of oral maropitant citrate at a dose of 2 mg/kg or oral ondansetron at a dose of 1 mg/kg versus placebo for the prevention of emesis in cynomolgus macaques undergoing veterinary examination. Emesis was reduced from 58% in the control group to 50% in the maropitant group and 33% in the ondansetron group. However, the reduction in relative risk with either treatment did not reach statistical significance. Prophylactic oral administration of maropitant appears ineffective in preventing emesis in cynomolgus macaques. In contrast, prophylactic oral ondansetron is a more effective alternative in preventing emesis in these animals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anaesthesia and Analgesia in Laboratory Animals)
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15 pages, 896 KB  
Article
Buprenorphine Versus Methadone in Female New Zealand White Rabbits Undergoing Balanced Anaesthesia for Calvaria Surgery
by Daniela Casoni, Chiara Parodi, Luisana Gisela Garcia Casalta, Kay Nettelbeck and Claudia Spadavecchia
Animals 2025, 15(13), 1843; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15131843 - 22 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1660
Abstract
Buprenorphine has gained widespread popularity for use in rabbits, while much less is known about methadone. Our aim was to compare sedative, analgesic, and respiratory effects of methadone and buprenorphine as part of balanced anaesthesia. Forty-eight female New Zealand white rabbits undergoing calvaria [...] Read more.
Buprenorphine has gained widespread popularity for use in rabbits, while much less is known about methadone. Our aim was to compare sedative, analgesic, and respiratory effects of methadone and buprenorphine as part of balanced anaesthesia. Forty-eight female New Zealand white rabbits undergoing calvaria defects were randomly equally assigned to receive either 0.03 mg kg−1 of buprenorphine (group B) or 0.3 mg kg−1 of methadone (group M) in combination with 15 mg kg−1 of ketamine and 0.1 mg kg−1 of dexmedetomidine SC. Fifteen minutes later, sedation was scored. A laryngeal mask was placed, and inhalational anaesthesia started. Rescue intraoperative analgesia was administered based on autonomic variations. Arterial blood gases were analysed intra- and postoperatively. Postoperative analgesia was administered if the Rabbit Grimace Scale (RbtGS) score was ≥4. The Mann–Whitney test, t-test, and relative risk followed by chi-square test were used to compare the treatment groups. Deeper sedation was observed in rabbits of group M than in those of group B. Rescue analgesia was administered intraoperatively to seven animals in group B and five in group M (p = 0.739) and postoperatively to three in group B and twelve in group M (p = 0.013). Rabbits of both groups showed short-term respiratory acidosis. RbtGS scores indicated better and longer analgesia in group B compared to group M. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anaesthesia and Analgesia in Laboratory Animals)
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