Postoperative analgesic effect of Cordia verbenacea topical aromatherapy in female dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy

This study evaluated the effects of topical aromatherapy with Cordia verbenacea D.C. (Boraginaceae) essential oil on postoperative pain in female dogs who underwent elective ovariohysterectomy (OVH). Twenty dogs were used and randomly distributed into the aromatherapy and placebo groups, with ten animals each. The animals in both groups received pre-anesthetic medication (PAM) with morphine, acepromazine and midazolam, anti-inflammatory drug and antibiotic therapy before being anesthetized with propofol, isoflurane, ketamine, lidocaine and fentanyl and subjected to OVH. Animals in the aromatherapy group received Cordia verbenacea essential oil mixed with a biphasic carrier (avocado and rosehip carrier oils and gel) immediately after extubation and 3, 5 and 8 hours after PAM, while dogs in the placebo group received the biphasic carrier at the same times. All animals in the experiment were evaluated for pain before the PAM (M0) and 3 (M3), 5 (M5), 8 (M8), 12 (M12), and 24 (M24) hours after the surgical procedure using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the short form of the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS-SF). The aromatherapy group showed a significantly lower pain score compared to the placebo group at M8 (P=0,0088 and P=0,00930, M12 (P=0,0028 and P=0,0004), and M24 (P=0,0265 and P=0,0475) and also required fewer administrations of analgesics in this period (P=0,0367). Therefore, aromatherapy with Cordia verbenacea essential oil showed an analgesic effect in the postoperative period of female dogs undergoing OVH.