Effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on inflammatory factors and antioxidant status in dogs after ovariohysterectomy – a pilot study

Abstract

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) is proven to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and healing properties in humans and laboratory animals. However, there are relatively few studies about the effects of HBO in companion animals. The goal of this study was to investigate the physiological effects of HBO in healthy dogs after ovariohysterectomy with two HBO treatments at 2.0 atmosphere of absolute pressure for 35 minutes. C-reactive protein, iron status, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, total oxidant status, total antioxidant status and oxidative stress index were measured before and after postoperative HBO. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy did not induce any detectable anti-inflammatory or antioxidant following ovariohysterectomy. No adverse effects were identified after HBO. Additional investigation using different inflammatory models is required to determine the role of HBO as an adjunctive therapy in dogs with more severe and complicated diseases, optimal therapeutic doses, and objective markers to quantify the response to HBO.