Surgery claimed to have been performed on dogs without general anaesthetic Greyhounds were allegedly used in research in which they underwent invasive surgery without general anaesthetic in a University of Newcastle study. ANIMAL welfare groups have condemned a University of Newcastle research project where greyhound dogs allegedly underwent invasive surgery while they were still conscious. Humane Research Australia today said the University of Newcastle study involved "invasive and distressing" surgery on 12 canines, without general anaesthetic or any form of sedative. The study, designed to explore the body's mechanisms for maintaining blood pressure, saw each dog given only a local anaesthetic before researchers exposed the femoral artery and inserted a balloon catheter into the canine's heart. The balloons were inflated and deflated while the dog was still conscious to simulate various states of blood pressure. Humane Research Australia CEO Helen Marston said one dog involved in the study had a catheter inserted through its jugular vein, down its neck and into its heart, again using only local anaesthetic. It is not known how the dogs were sourced or what happened to them after the study was complete. The study's findings were published in 2011, but Ms Marston said it often took time to locate questionable studies and wade through the scientific jargon. "This is one we found and thought it sounded quite disturbing," she said. The University of Newcastle said it was "firmly committed" to the ethical treatment of animals in research. Deputy Vice-Chancellor Mike Calford said any use of animals for research had to meet requirements under the Australian Code of Practice. "The research in question was conducted prior to 2004 and published in 2011," he said. Dogs have not been used for research at the University of Newcastle for more than 10 years. The research was carried out by leading physicians and anaesthetic clinicians who work daily with people with serious health conditions. He added that the research was "relevant" to understanding more about blood flow in humans. But UK-based veterinary surgeon and HRA advisor Andre Menache said similar research projects had been criticised by clinical cardiologists, "based on the cost in terms of animal suffering, versus the lack of human medical benefit." Ms Marston said many people didn't realise how much animal research still went ahead in Australia. "It's everything from shaking lambs to death to simulate shaken baby syndrome to using rats to test marijuana and ecstasy and putting breast implants into pigs," she said. A lot of these things aren't for life-saving purposes, they are just cruel and unnecessary. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said subjecting greyhounds to "invasive and distressing" surgery without general anaesthetics was "inhumane and unjustifiable."