Selected highlights from other journals

What did the research find?Overall, the anaesthetic-related mortality was 0.69 per cent.Brachycephalic dogs had higher crude mortality than nonbrachycephalic dogs (0.82 per cent versus 0.65 per cent, P=0.036), but this difference was no longer significant after adjustment for American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status.After ASA adjustment, only Chihuahuas (relative risk [RR]=1.80,95 per cent confidence interval [CI] 1.08-2.99)and Spanish water dogs (RR=2.72,95 per cent CI 1.23-6.01)had an increased mortality risk.• How was it conducted?The records for 54,542 canine anaesthetic procedures performed across 405 clinics in 21 countries between 2016 and 2022 were retrospectively reviewed.Information extracted included breed, ASA status and whether the dog died from anaestheticrelated causes.Both unadjusted and ASA status-adjusted Poisson regression models were then used to identify breeds at increased risk of anaesthetic-related death relative to mixed-breed dogs.• Why is it important?Despite recent advances, anaesthesia in dogs carries a measurable mortality risk.However, it is unclear whether this risk varies significantly between breeds.This study indicates that while mortality varies between breeds, with brachycephalic dogs being at greater risk, much of this variation can be explained by the dogs' pre-anaesthetic ASA status.These findings may help improve anaesthetic planning and assist veterinarians in discussing anaesthetic-related risk with owners.