Biochemical Evaluation of Perioperative Organ Function in Dogs Undergoing Elective Orthopaedic Surgery in Ibadan, South West Nigeria

Perioperative monitoring of organ function in dogs undergoing orthopaedic procedures is essential for guiding anaesthetic choice, managing intraoperative complications, and ensuring safe recovery. This study evaluated perioperative hepatic and renal function biochemical parameters in dogs undergoing elective orthopaedic surgery at the University of Ibadan Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Oyo State, South West Nigeria. Forty client-owned dogs undergoing surgical correction of orthopaedic conditions including hip dysplasia and patellar luxation were enrolled. Blood samples were collected pre-operatively, at two hours intraoperatively via jugular catheter, and at twenty-four and seventy-two hours post-operatively for serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and albumin quantification. General anaesthesia was achieved with propofol and isoflurane maintenance. Intraoperative serum creatinine did not change significantly, but blood urea nitrogen showed a transient rise at the two-hour intraoperative point, normalising by twenty-four hours post-operatively. Hepatic enzymes were transiently elevated at twenty-four hours, likely reflecting anaesthetic-mediated hepatic blood flow changes, and returned to baseline by seventy-two hours. Dogs with pre-operative azotaemia were significantly more likely to require intraoperative fluid rate adjustments. These findings support the utility of comprehensive pre-operative and perioperative biochemical screening in canine orthopaedic surgery and provide locally relevant reference data for veterinary surgical practice in South West Nigeria. Keywords: perioperative biochemistry, orthopaedic surgery, dogs, hepatorenal function, Ibadan.