Ultrasound-guided saphenous and sciatic nerve block with ropivacaine in an adult goat undergoing trochlear sulcoplasty for lateral patellar luxation

A 75 kg, 4-year-old, male, neutered, Saanen-cross, pet-owned, adult goat presented for left trochlear sulcoplasty for treatment of lateral patellar luxation. Premedication consisted of intravenous butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg), and midazolam (0.5 mg/kg, intravenous), followed by ketamine (2 mg/kg, intravenous) and propofol (2 mg/kg, intravenous) for induction of anaesthesia. Anaesthesia was maintained using isoflurane in oxygen (100%) and mechanical ventilation was started. An ultrasound-guided saphenous and sciatic nerve block with 0.1 mL/kg of ropivacaine 0.75% and 0.25%, respectively, was performed. Anaesthesia was uneventful, except for a transient period of hypotension and a nociceptive reaction during skin suture. Recovery was uneventful. No motor block was observed using this combination of ropivacaine concentrations. Buprenorphine (0.01 mg/kg, intravenous) was initiated (twice daily first day; once daily second and third day) 6.5 hours after the nerve block due to discomfort. Meloxicam (0.5 mg/kg, intravenous) was administered once daily for 5 days, after which the patient was fully ambulatory.